Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
Plano, TX
🏆 Plano leads 16 of 23 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
Plano
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
284,948
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $325k less ($87,400 vs $412,500)
Rent averages $848/mo less ($851 vs $1,699)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Plano
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 94°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $68,408/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 4.4%)
Plano, TX
Pros
Households earn $68,408 more per year on average
90% less violent crime than Cleveland
Stronger job market — unemployment is 7.5 pts lower (4.4%)
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 56°F vs 35°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $412,500
Higher rents — median is $1,699/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Cleveland
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$325k less
$87,400 vs $412,500
Plano
Median Income
$68,408
$105,679 vs $37,271/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
90% lower
151.6 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Plano
Unemployment
7.5 pp lower
4.4% vs 11.9% unemployment
Plano
Summer Heat
13.6°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 80.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | Plano, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $412,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $1,699⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $105,679 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter | 25.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 22.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 52 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 40 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | A+ (134) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 58.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% | 93.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | PLANO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F | 55.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" ✓ Drier | 40.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 2.6" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 ✓ Larger | 284,948 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 38.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% | 56.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 21.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 13.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs Plano's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Plano leads 16 of 23 categories. Cleveland wins 7 and Plano wins 16. 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 Plano or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $412,500 median home), income ($37,271 vs $105,679), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and Plano, TX are about 1,010 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.