Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
Provo, UT
🏆 Provo leads 14 of 23 categories
Cleveland
Ohio
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$37,271
Violent Crime Index
411⚠ High
Population
370,365 ✓ Larger
Provo
Utah
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8
Median Household Income
$57,943 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
114,400
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $304k less ($87,400 vs $391,500)
Rent averages $238/mo less ($851 vs $1,089)
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 95°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Provo
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Provo by $20,672/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%)
Provo, UT
Pros
87% less violent crime than Cleveland
Stronger job market — unemployment is 7.5 pts lower (4.4%)
Households earn $20,672 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (206.6 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 44.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $391,500
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Cleveland
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 95.8 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$304k less
$87,400 vs $391,500
Provo
Median Income
$20,672
$57,943 vs $37,271/yr
Provo
Violent Crime
87% lower
206.6 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Provo
Unemployment
7.5 pp lower
4.4% vs 11.9% unemployment
Provo
Summer Heat
14.5°F warmer
July avg high 95.2°F vs 80.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | Provo, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 95.8 |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $391,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $1,089 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $57,943 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min | 18.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 57 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 54 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 61 ✓ 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 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 44.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% | 92.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | Provo District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F | 41.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F | 95.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" | 17.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 44.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 ✓ Larger | 114,400 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 23.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% ✓ Higher | 39.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% ✓ More | 18.9% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 6.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs Provo's 95.8 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Provo leads 14 of 23 categories. Cleveland wins 9 and Provo wins 14. 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 Provo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $391,500 median home), income ($37,271 vs $57,943), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and Provo, UT are about 1,560 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.