Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
Santa Ana, CA
🏆 Santa Ana leads 12 of 23 categories
Cleveland
Ohio
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$37,271
Violent Crime Index
411⚠ High
Population
370,365 ✓ Larger
Santa Ana
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
311,379
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $537k less ($87,400 vs $624,000)
Rent averages $1034/mo less ($851 vs $1,885)
27% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Ana
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Ana by $46,939/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 5.5%)
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Households earn $46,939 more per year on average
68% less violent crime than Cleveland
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.4 pts lower (5.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 35°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,000
Higher rents — median is $1,885/mo
Cost of living runs 27% higher than Cleveland
Violent crime (493.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
27% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$537k less
$87,400 vs $624,000
Santa Ana
Median Income
$46,939
$84,210 vs $37,271/yr
Santa Ana
Violent Crime
68% lower
493.1 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Santa Ana
Unemployment
6.4 pp lower
5.5% vs 11.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | Santa Ana, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $624,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $1,885⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $84,210 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter | 25.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% ✓ Higher | 8.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 81 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | C+ (84) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% ✓ Higher | 65.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | Santa Ana Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 ✓ Larger | 311,379 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% | 44.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs Santa Ana's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 27% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Ana leads 12 of 23 categories. Cleveland wins 11 and Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $624,000 median home), income ($37,271 vs $84,210), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and Santa Ana, CA are about 2,036 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.