Elyria ( ə-LEER-ee-ə) is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located at the forks of the Black River in Northeast Ohio, 23 miles (37 km) southwest of Cleveland. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 52,656. It is a principal city in the Cleveland metropolitan area. The city is home to Lorain County Community College.