Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
San Francisco, CA
🏆 San Francisco 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
San Francisco
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
117.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,689 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
157⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
851,036 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $1261k less ($87,400 vs $1,348,700)
Rent averages $1465/mo less ($851 vs $2,316)
29% cheaper overall cost of living than San Francisco
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Francisco by $99,418/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 5.4%)
San Francisco, CA
Pros
Households earn $99,418 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.5 pts lower (5.4%)
62% less violent crime than Cleveland
More college-educated — 59.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 35°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 81°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,348,700
Higher rents — median is $2,316/mo
Cost of living runs 29% higher than Cleveland
Violent crime (596.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
29% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 117.1 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$1261k less
$87,400 vs $1,348,700
Cleveland
Summer Heat
18.9°F warmer
July avg high 80.7°F vs 61.8°F
San Francisco
Median Income
$99,418
$136,689 vs $37,271/yr
San Francisco
Violent Crime
62% lower
596.5 vs 1561.1 per 100k
San Francisco
Unemployment
6.5 pp lower
5.4% vs 11.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | San Francisco, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 117.1⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $1,348,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $2,316⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $136,689 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter | 31.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 23.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 169⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 157⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 187⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | B+ (108) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 59.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% | 88.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | San Francisco Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F ✓ Warmer | 61.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" | 30.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 | 851,036 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 39.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% ✓ More | 13.6% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 16.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs San Francisco's 117.1 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 29% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Francisco leads 15 of 23 categories. Cleveland wins 8 and San Francisco 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 San Francisco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $1,348,700 median home), income ($37,271 vs $136,689), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and San Francisco, CA are about 2,196 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.