Is 'Little Fires Everywhere' Town Shaker Heights, Ohio Real?
If you’ve watched the first three episodes of Little Fires Everywhere (available to stream now on Hulu), you probably have a few questions—among them, “Why does a show set in the ’90s make me feel so darn old?” Based on Celeste Ng’s 2017 best-selling novel, the new television series stars Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. The story follows the seemingly perfect Richardson family and a single mother and daughter, Mia and Pearl Warren, as the two families’ paths cross...dramatically. Both the book and the television show are set in a town called Shaker Heights, Ohio. But does this town actually exist? Should I plan a road trip to check it out as soon as I’m allowed to leave my apartment? Let’s discuss.
Okay, so, is Shaker Heights, Ohio, a real place or what?
The short answer is yes, Shaker Heights is indeed a real place. The real town of Shaker Heights, Ohio, has a population of approximately 27,440 (according to the 2017 census). In 2019, the town was ranked as the 12th best suburb in America, the second best place to live in Ohio, and the third best place to raise a family in Ohio. Seems like Ng’s vivid descriptions and Hulu’s depiction of the tree-lined streets are both pretty accurate!
Cool, so I assume that’s where Little Fires Everywhere was filmed?
Lol, nope! The series was actually filmed in Los Angeles. Here are some cool behind-the-scenes shots from director Lynn Shelton:
Here’s the Shaker Heights set—pretty trippy this photo was snapped in L.A., no?
There you have it, folks. Shaker Heights *is* a real place, but Little Fires Everywhere did not film there. Hollywood is wild! They did a pretty solid job of replicating the cute town on set, though, if you ask me.
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