Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
Murrieta, CA
🏆 Murrieta 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
Murrieta
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,925 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48 ✓ Safer
Population
111,899
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $480k less ($87,400 vs $567,700)
Rent averages $1299/mo less ($851 vs $2,150)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Murrieta
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 87°F
Cons
Median income trails Murrieta by $69,654/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 6.7%)
Murrieta, CA
Pros
Households earn $69,654 more per year on average
88% less violent crime than Cleveland
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.2 pts lower (6.7%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (183.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 35°F
More college-educated — 29.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $567,700
Higher rents — median is $2,150/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Cleveland
Longer commutes — 35.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$480k less
$87,400 vs $567,700
Murrieta
Median Income
$69,654
$106,925 vs $37,271/yr
Murrieta
Violent Crime
88% lower
183.7 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Murrieta
Unemployment
5.2 pp lower
6.7% vs 11.9% unemployment
Murrieta
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 87.2°F vs 80.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | Murrieta, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $567,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $2,150⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $106,925 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 6.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter | 35.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 13.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 47 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 45 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | B- (93) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 29.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% | 92.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | Murrieta Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F | 67.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F | 87.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" | 13.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 ✓ Larger | 111,899 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% | 67.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 27.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 12.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs Murrieta's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Murrieta leads 15 of 23 categories. Cleveland wins 8 and Murrieta 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 Murrieta or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $567,700 median home), income ($37,271 vs $106,925), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and Murrieta, CA are about 2,006 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.