Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
Germantown, MD
🏆 Germantown leads 13 of 20 categories
Cleveland
Ohio
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$37,271
Violent Crime Index
411⚠ High
Population
370,365 ✓ Larger
Germantown
Maryland
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,268 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
90,210
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $306k less ($87,400 vs $393,700)
Rent averages $1057/mo less ($851 vs $1,908)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Germantown
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Cons
Median income trails Germantown by $71,997/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 5.2%)
Germantown, MD
Pros
Households earn $71,997 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.7 pts lower (5.2%)
More college-educated — 48.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $393,700
Higher rents — median is $1,908/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Cleveland
Longer commutes — 33.6 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$306k less
$87,400 vs $393,700
Germantown
Median Income
$71,997
$109,268 vs $37,271/yr
Germantown
Unemployment
6.7 pp lower
5.2% vs 11.9% unemployment
Germantown
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 84.3°F vs 80.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | Germantown, MD |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 108.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $393,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $1,908⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $109,268 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter | 33.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 16.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | A- (116) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 48.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% | 89.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | Montgomery County Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F | 39.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F | 84.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" ✓ Drier | 46.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 32.6" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 ✓ Larger | 90,210 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 36.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% | 65.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 24.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs Germantown's 108.6 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Germantown leads 13 of 20 categories. Cleveland wins 7 and Germantown wins 13. 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 Germantown or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $393,700 median home), income ($37,271 vs $109,268), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and Germantown, MD are about 282 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.