Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
Indianapolis, IN
🏆 Indianapolis 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
Indianapolis
Indiana
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6
Median Household Income
$59,110 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
231⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
882,006 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $97k less ($87,400 vs $184,600)
Rent averages $195/mo less ($851 vs $1,046)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Indianapolis
Cons
Median income trails Indianapolis by $21,839/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 5.6%)
Indianapolis, IN
Pros
Households earn $21,839 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.3 pts lower (5.6%)
44% less violent crime than Cleveland
More college-educated — 33.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.6)
Smaller class sizes — 12.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (877.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3336.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Cleveland
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 94.6 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$97k less
$87,400 vs $184,600
Indianapolis
Median Income
$21,839
$59,110 vs $37,271/yr
Indianapolis
Violent Crime
44% lower
877.9 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Indianapolis
Unemployment
6.3 pp lower
5.6% vs 11.9% unemployment
Indianapolis
Summer Heat
3.0°F warmer
July avg high 83.7°F vs 80.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | Indianapolis, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 94.6 |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $184,600 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $1,046 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $59,110 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter | 24.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 10.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 202⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 231⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 159⚠ 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 | 12.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 33.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% | 87.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | Indianapolis Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F ✓ Warmer | 34.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F | 83.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" ✓ Drier | 41.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 25.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 | 882,006 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% | 54.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 12.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs Indianapolis's 94.6 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Indianapolis leads 15 of 23 categories. Cleveland wins 8 and Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $184,600 median home), income ($37,271 vs $59,110), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and Indianapolis, IN are about 262 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.