vermilion is a city in erie and lorain counties in the u.s. state of ohio, on lake erie about 35 miles west of cleveland and 17 miles east of sandusky. the population was 10,594 at the 2010 census. the current mayor is jim forthofer. the lorain county portion of vermilion is part of the cleveland–elyria–mentor metropolitan statistical area, while the erie county portion is part of the sandusky micropolitan statistical area.