Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
Dearborn, MI
🏆 Dearborn 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 ✓ Larger
Dearborn
Michigan
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$64,600 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
77 ✓ Safer
Population
108,414
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $102k less ($87,400 vs $189,400)
Rent averages $354/mo less ($851 vs $1,205)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Dearborn
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Cons
Median income trails Dearborn by $27,329/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 6.8%)
Dearborn, MI
Pros
Households earn $27,329 more per year on average
81% less violent crime than Cleveland
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.1 pts lower (6.8%)
More college-educated — 34.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Cleveland
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$102k less
$87,400 vs $189,400
Dearborn
Median Income
$27,329
$64,600 vs $37,271/yr
Dearborn
Violent Crime
81% lower
292.6 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Dearborn
Unemployment
5.1 pp lower
6.8% vs 11.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | Dearborn, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 98.0 |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $189,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $1,205 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $64,600 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 6.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min | 21.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 9.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 77 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 95 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 34.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% | 85.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | Dearborn City School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F ✓ Warmer | 32.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F | 83.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" ✓ Drier | 35.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 30.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 ✓ Larger | 108,414 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 32.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% | 69.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 28.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs Dearborn's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Dearborn leads 15 of 23 categories. Cleveland wins 8 and Dearborn 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 Dearborn or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $189,400 median home), income ($37,271 vs $64,600), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and Dearborn, MI are about 98 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.