Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
Dallas, TX
🏆 Dallas leads 15 of 23 categories
Cleveland
Ohio
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$37,271
Violent Crime Index
411⚠ High
Population
370,365
Dallas
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$63,985 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
173⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
1,300,642 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $183k less ($87,400 vs $270,700)
Rent averages $454/mo less ($851 vs $1,305)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Dallas
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 97°F
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Cons
Median income trails Dallas by $26,714/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%)
Dallas, TX
Pros
Households earn $26,714 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.9 pts lower (5.0%)
58% less violent crime than Cleveland
More college-educated — 36.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 35°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (658.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Cleveland
Property crime (3351.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$183k less
$87,400 vs $270,700
Dallas
Median Income
$26,714
$63,985 vs $37,271/yr
Dallas
Violent Crime
58% lower
658.2 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Dallas
Unemployment
6.9 pp lower
5.0% vs 11.9% unemployment
Dallas
Summer Heat
16.2°F warmer
July avg high 96.9°F vs 80.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | Dallas, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $270,700 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $1,305 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $63,985 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter | 26.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 11.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 168⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 173⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 160⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 36.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% ✓ Higher | 80.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | DALLAS ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F | 57.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F | 96.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" ✓ Drier | 41.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 1.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 | 1,300,642 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% | 41.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 24.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 11.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs Dallas's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Dallas leads 15 of 23 categories. Cleveland wins 8 and Dallas wins 15. 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 Dallas or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $270,700 median home), income ($37,271 vs $63,985), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and Dallas, TX are about 1,023 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.