Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
Providence, RI
🏆 Providence leads 12 of 22 categories
Cleveland
Ohio
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$37,271
Violent Crime Index
411⚠ High
Population
370,365 ✓ Larger
Providence
Rhode Island
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,365 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
189,715
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $206k less ($87,400 vs $293,000)
Rent averages $363/mo less ($851 vs $1,214)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Providence
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Cons
Median income trails Providence by $24,094/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 7.2%)
Providence, RI
Pros
82% less violent crime than Cleveland
Households earn $24,094 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.7 pts lower (7.2%)
More college-educated — 34.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Cleveland
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 100.9 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$206k less
$87,400 vs $293,000
Providence
Median Income
$24,094
$61,365 vs $37,271/yr
Providence
Violent Crime
82% lower
276.7 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Providence
Unemployment
4.7 pp lower
7.2% vs 11.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | Providence, RI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 100.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $293,000 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $1,214 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $61,365 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 7.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter | 24.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 11.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 75 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 73 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 79 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | B- (95) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 34.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% | 82.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | Providence |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F | 38.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F | 83.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" ✓ Drier | 47.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 36.6" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 ✓ Larger | 189,715 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 32.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% ✓ More | 20.7% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs Providence's 100.9 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Providence leads 12 of 22 categories. Cleveland wins 10 and Providence wins 12. 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 Providence or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $293,000 median home), income ($37,271 vs $61,365), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and Providence, RI are about 530 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.