Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
Santa Clara, CA
🏆 Santa Clara 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
Santa Clara
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$165,352 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48 ✓ Safer
Population
128,058
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $1353k less ($87,400 vs $1,440,200)
Rent averages $1990/mo less ($851 vs $2,841)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Clara
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clara by $128,081/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 4.2%)
Santa Clara, CA
Pros
Households earn $128,081 more per year on average
88% less violent crime than Cleveland
Stronger job market — unemployment is 7.7 pts lower (4.2%)
More college-educated — 64.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 35°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,440,200
Higher rents — median is $2,841/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Cleveland
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$1353k less
$87,400 vs $1,440,200
Santa Clara
Median Income
$128,081
$165,352 vs $37,271/yr
Santa Clara
Violent Crime
88% lower
182.0 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Santa Clara
Unemployment
7.7 pp lower
4.2% vs 11.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | Santa Clara, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 112.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $1,440,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $2,841⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $165,352 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter | 23.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 21.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 76 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | A- (110) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% | 94.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | Santa Clara Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F | 59.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F | 80.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" | 15.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 ✓ Larger | 128,058 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% | 41.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% ✓ More | 18.0% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs Santa Clara's 112.9 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Clara leads 14 of 23 categories. Cleveland wins 9 and Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $1,440,200 median home), income ($37,271 vs $165,352), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and Santa Clara, CA are about 2,150 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.