Gordon Square Neighborhood Guide

Gordon Square is an artistic and diverse neighborhood located only a couple miles west of Downtown Cleveland.

This neighborhood is considered a historic commercial center and is found within the larger Detroit Shoreway area of Cleveland. Gordon Square is conveniently located so that traveling to Lake Erie’s shore or to some of Cleveland’s most famous venues is a straightforward and fast undertaking.

Gordon Square has affordable housing options for residents within its borders. Also, theaters, shopping venues, and eateries in and around the neighborhood are largely well-rated. Gordon Square is commonly known for having a vibrant live music and entertainment scene. Overall, nearby bars and nighttime venues are popular establishments.

In particular, young professionals make up a large number of this neighborhood’s population due to factors like the local job market, low cost of living, and short commutes. Less than 22% of households are families with children. Also, local public and private schools are short drives away from Gordon Square.

49% of Gordon Square residents are White, 24% are Hispanic, and 21% are Afican American. 1% of residents are Asian, and 3% are biracial or multiracial.

Around 40% of residents hold management, executive, or professional job occupations. 34% of residents work in sales or the service industry. Roughly 16.5% of the population are laborers or manufacturers, while less than 7% hold clerical and assistant positions.

Gordon Square’s average income is lower than 80.8% of residential areas across the country. An estimated 77% of children in the neighborhood fall below the poverty line, which indicates Gordon Square’s childhood poverty rate is higher than 99.3% of U.S. neighborhoods.

As a small neighborhood of Cleveland, Gordon Square falls within the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s reach. The district, which covers almost 80 square miles, is one of the largest school systems in the state and educates just under 40,000 students across almost 70 campuses.

Established in 1836, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District was formerly known as the Cleveland Municipal School District. Recently implemented initiatives and programs have sought to improve the academic performance level of students and raise graduation rates across campuses.

In 2010, the district’s average graduation rate was 22.4%, and in 2018, the rate improved to 74.6%. In addition to AP courses, the Cleveland Public School System also offers The Gifted Education Program in several Cleveland MSD campuses.

Cleveland MSD includes over 60 elementary campuses and K-8 schools, plus over 20 high school campuses. All of these schools are options for Gordon Square students. Additionally, students are within short distance of multiple reputable private schools.

Gordon Square’s housing options are considered largely affordable compared to both national and local trends. 66% of properties in the neighborhood are rented residences, and around 34% of properties are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate tracks around 20%, which tracks higher than about 85% of neighborhoods nationally.

Just under 50% of properties in this part of Cleveland are 2-4 unit apartment buildings, which is a higher rate than about 98% of all other neighborhoods in the country. This neighborhood also contains larger homes that have since been renovated and converted into multi-resident housing. Duplexes and condominiums are also commonplace in this corner of Cleveland.

Because Gordon Square is a historic part of the city, it makes sense that many housing options have been around for a substantial number of decades. Around 78% of residential real estate in Gordon Square was constructed in or before 1939, which is a higher percentage than about 99.4% of residential areas across the U.S.