BAY VILLAGE, Ohio — Those who have explored the North Coast know its shores boast scenic beaches, hiking trails and marinas.
Now, Lake Erie's beach communities are garnering national attention as Bay Village and Rocky River were named among the country's best beach towns by WalletHub.
According to WalletHub's 2019 rankings, Bay Village was rated the 10th best lakeside beach town to live in. Rocky River followed at No. 12. Vermilion ranked 24th, Ashtabula ranked 39th and Lorain was 45th on the list of 46 towns. WalletHub created a separate list for oceanside beach towns.
The ratings were based on a series of smaller category rankings including affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health and quality of life. Bay Village received a 59.06 overall rating, while Rocky River rated 57.65.
"We are pleased to be recognized as one of the country’s best beach towns," Bay Village Mayor Paul Koomar told WKYC via email. "The Huntington Metroparks Reservation beach coupled with our adjacent city parks provides residents with wonderful access to Lake Erie, a treasured resource for the north coast."
Bay Village ranked fifth for highest median household income, fourth for lowest crime rate and tied for first with Brookfield, Wisconsin for highest percentage of insured population. Vermilion ranked second for lowest crime rate.
Ohio cities swept the highest rankings for water temperature, with Vermilion ranking first, followed by Bay Village and Rocky River tied for second and Ashtabula for fourth.
When it comes to entertainment, Bay Village fell low among the rankings, scoring 45th for coffee shops per capita, 44th for restaurants per capita and 44th for number of nightlife establishments. Lorain and Ashtabula scored low for median household income at 43rd and 45th, respectively.
Traverse City, Michigan ranked first overall among lakeside beach towns, followed by Folsom, California and Cornelius, North Carolina.
See the full WalletHub list here.
