Biohazard Cleanup Near Parma Circle Parma, OH

Parma is a city in Cuyahoga County directly south of Cleveland, with a population of 81,146 at the 2020 census — making it the seventh-most populous city in Ohio, the largest suburb in the state, and the second-largest city in Cuyahoga County.

The community was first known as Greenbriar after its 1806 settlement; in March 1826 residents renamed the township Parma after the Italian city of Parma, a name suggested by Dr. David Long.

Parma was incorporated as a village on December 15, 1924, and became a city on January 1, 1931.

Parma exploded after World War II, growing from nearly 29,000 residents in 1950 to almost 83,000 in 1960 — one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States at the time — and peaking at 100,216 residents in 1970.

Census Bureau surveys count about 34,287 households in Parma, with an owner-occupied housing rate of about 72.4%.

Parma has designated Ukrainian Village and Polish Village commercial districts and is home to one of the largest Ukrainian populations in the United States; the districts host annual celebrations including the Ukrainian Independence Day parade in August and Polish Constitution Day events in May.

About 11% of Parma's residents were born outside the United States, and about 16.4% speak a language other than English at home, reflecting the city's deep Eastern European roots.

Cuyahoga Community College's Western Campus, which opened in 1966, is located in Parma and serves students from southern Cuyahoga and Medina counties.

The Cleveland Metroparks' West Creek Reservation protects the West Creek valley in the middle of Parma and is home to the Watershed Stewardship Center, the first Cleveland Metroparks facility dedicated to scientific research and sustainable action.

Ridgewood Golf Course, the city-owned 18-hole course on Ridge Road, opened on July 4, 1925, and hosted the USGA's U.S. Amateur Public Links championship, a national event, in 1927.