Welcome to the City of Painesville. Settled in 1800, Painesville is the county seat of Lake County, Ohio and is located along the beautiful Grand River, roughly 30 miles northeast of Cleveland and 2.5 miles from the shores of Lake Erie. Painesville is home to Lake Erie College, Morley Library and a dynamic historical downtown district. The city is named after General Edward Paine who served in the Revolutionary War and settled in the area shortly after. Painesville's population is around 20,000 per 2020 estimates.