Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bend, OR
VS
Cleveland, OH
🏆 Bend leads 17 of 23 categories
Bend
Oregon
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,671 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
99,442
Cleveland
Ohio
6
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.
Bend, OR
Pros
Households earn $45,400 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 8.1 pts lower (3.8%)
89% less violent crime than Cleveland
More college-educated — 48.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (168.5 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $576,900
Higher rents — median is $1,649/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Cleveland
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $490k less ($87,400 vs $576,900)
Rent averages $798/mo less ($851 vs $1,649)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Bend
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bend by $45,400/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 3.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bend
Median Income
$45,400
$82,671 vs $37,271/yr
Bend
Violent Crime
89% lower
168.5 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Bend
Unemployment
8.1 pp lower
3.8% vs 11.9% unemployment
Bend
Summer Heat
3.1°F warmer
July avg high 83.8°F vs 80.7°F
Cleveland
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 105.8 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$490k less
$87,400 vs $576,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bend, OR | Cleveland, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.8⚠ High | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $576,900⚠ High | $87,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,649⚠ High | $851 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,671 ✓ Higher | $37,271 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 11.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.1 min ✓ Shorter | 23.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.0% ✓ Higher | 8.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 ✓ Safer | 331⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 411⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 211⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | C (82) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.4% ✓ Higher | 20.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 82.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bend-LaPine Administrative SD 1 | Cleveland Municipal |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.5°F ✓ Warmer | 35.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 83.8°F ✓ Warmer | 80.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.6" ✓ Drier | 33.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.6" ✓ Less | 63.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,442 | 370,365 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 36.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.2% ✓ Higher | 40.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 21.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.0% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bend's cost of living index is 105.8 vs Cleveland's 88.4 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bend leads 17 of 23 categories. Bend wins 17 and Cleveland wins 6. 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 Bend to Cleveland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($576,900 vs $87,400 median home), income ($82,671 vs $37,271), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bend, OR and Cleveland, OH are about 1,999 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.