Electricity Rates in Elyria, OH

History of Elyria

The village of Elyria was founded in 1817 by Heman Ely, who built a log house, dam, gristmill, and sawmill on the village's site along the Black River. Ely began to build more houses to accommodate European-American settlers migrating to what was, at that time, within Huron County, Ohio.By the turn of the 20th century, Elyria was a town of about 8,000. In 1908, Elyria Memorial Hospital was built. In the first half of the 20th century, the town developed some manufacturing, as well as a range of retail businesses.In August 1967, Midway Mall was opened. It changed the local economy by attracting local businesses from the town center or causing so much competition they went out of business. Industrial restructuring meant that good jobs left the area, and poverty increased. Three major car plant closings in the area led to economic stagnation and joblessness in the 1970s and 1980s that affected numerous communities. The region was nicknamed "the Rustbelt", suggesting the decline of its former industries.In the 1990s, Elyria experienced a minor revival with construction of some new roads and housing. It serves as a residential, suburban "bedroom community" for Cleveland, where new businesses and industries are developing with an increase in new jobs.In the 2000s and 2010s, companies like Bendix and 3M moved their operations elsewhere. To prepare for this, voters passed Issue 6 in March 2016. Issue 6 increased the city's income tax by 0.5%.

Elyria by the Numbers

Population

62,024

Median Age

40.9 yrs

Median Household Income

$54,362/yr

Median Home Value

$147,600

Homeownership Rate

63%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)