Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
Costa Mesa, CA
🏆 Costa Mesa leads 14 of 23 categories
Cleveland
Ohio
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$37,271
Violent Crime Index
411⚠ High
Population
370,365 ✓ Larger
Costa Mesa
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,981 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
111,490
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $872k less ($87,400 vs $959,800)
Rent averages $1417/mo less ($851 vs $2,268)
27% cheaper overall cost of living than Costa Mesa
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Costa Mesa by $67,710/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 5.0%)
Costa Mesa, CA
Pros
Households earn $67,710 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.9 pts lower (5.0%)
53% less violent crime than Cleveland
More college-educated — 42.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 35°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $959,800
Higher rents — median is $2,268/mo
Cost of living runs 27% higher than Cleveland
Violent crime (737.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
27% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$872k less
$87,400 vs $959,800
Costa Mesa
Median Income
$67,710
$104,981 vs $37,271/yr
Costa Mesa
Violent Crime
53% lower
737.6 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Costa Mesa
Unemployment
6.9 pp lower
5.0% vs 11.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | Costa Mesa, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $959,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $2,268⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $104,981 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min | 21.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 16.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 170⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 194⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 135⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | B (102) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 42.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% | 87.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | Newport-Mesa Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F ✓ Warmer | 78.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" | 11.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 ✓ Larger | 111,490 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 36.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% ✓ Higher | 39.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% ✓ More | 18.9% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs Costa Mesa's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 27% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Costa Mesa leads 14 of 23 categories. Cleveland wins 9 and Costa Mesa wins 14. 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 Cleveland to Costa Mesa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $959,800 median home), income ($37,271 vs $104,981), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and Costa Mesa, CA are about 2,040 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.