Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Aurora, IL
VS
Cleveland, OH
🏆 Aurora leads 13 of 23 categories
Aurora
Illinois
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,943 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
70 ✓ Safer
Population
181,405
Cleveland
Ohio
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$37,271
Violent Crime Index
411⚠ High
Population
370,365 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Aurora, IL
Pros
Households earn $48,672 more per year on average
83% less violent crime than Cleveland
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.3 pts lower (5.6%)
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,462/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Cleveland
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $154k less ($87,400 vs $241,600)
Rent averages $611/mo less ($851 vs $1,462)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Aurora
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Cons
Median income trails Aurora by $48,672/yr
Violent crime (1561.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4426.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (11.9% vs 5.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Aurora
Median Income
$48,672
$85,943 vs $37,271/yr
Aurora
Violent Crime
83% lower
266.0 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Aurora
Unemployment
6.3 pp lower
5.6% vs 11.9% unemployment
Aurora
Summer Heat
3.3°F warmer
July avg high 84.0°F vs 80.7°F
Cleveland
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$154k less
$87,400 vs $241,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Aurora, IL | Cleveland, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $241,600 | $87,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,462⚠ High | $851 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,943 ✓ Higher | $37,271 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 11.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.1% ✓ Higher | 8.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 ✓ Safer | 331⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 411⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 211⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | C (82) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 20.3% |
| High School or Higher | 80.9% | 82.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Indian Prairie CUSD 204 | Cleveland Municipal |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 30.5°F | 35.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.0°F ✓ Warmer | 80.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" | 33.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.9" ✓ Less | 63.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 181,405 | 370,365 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 36.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 40.9% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% ✓ More | 21.2% |
| Over 65 | 10.5% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Aurora's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Cleveland's 88.4 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Aurora leads 13 of 23 categories. Aurora wins 13 and Cleveland wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Aurora to Cleveland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($241,600 vs $87,400 median home), income ($85,943 vs $37,271), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Aurora, IL and Cleveland, OH are about 342 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.