Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
New Haven, CT
🏆 New Haven 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
New Haven
Connecticut
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.6
Median Household Income
$54,305 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
141⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
135,736
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $149k less ($87,400 vs $236,500)
Rent averages $551/mo less ($851 vs $1,402)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than New Haven
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Cons
Median income trails New Haven by $17,034/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 7.8%)
New Haven, CT
Pros
66% less violent crime than Cleveland
Households earn $17,034 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.1 pts lower (7.8%)
More college-educated — 38.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,402/mo
Violent crime (534.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3587.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Cleveland
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 98.6 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$149k less
$87,400 vs $236,500
New Haven
Median Income
$17,034
$54,305 vs $37,271/yr
New Haven
Violent Crime
66% lower
534.8 vs 1561.1 per 100k
New Haven
Unemployment
4.1 pp lower
7.8% vs 11.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | New Haven, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 98.6 |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $236,500 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $1,402⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $54,305 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 7.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min | 21.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 11.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 153⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 141⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 171⚠ High ✓ 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 | 12.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 38.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% | 85.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | New Haven School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F | 38.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F | 82.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" ✓ Drier | 41.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 33.6" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 ✓ Larger | 135,736 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 31.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% ✓ Higher | 28.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 22.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 10.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs New Haven's 98.6 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New Haven leads 15 of 23 categories. Cleveland wins 8 and New Haven 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 New Haven or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $236,500 median home), income ($37,271 vs $54,305), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and New Haven, CT are about 454 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.