Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
Thousand Oaks, CA
🏆 Thousand Oaks 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 ✓ Larger
Thousand Oaks
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$125,399 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $813k less ($87,400 vs $900,600)
Rent averages $1632/mo less ($851 vs $2,483)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Thousand Oaks
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Thousand Oaks by $88,128/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 4.8%)
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
Households earn $88,128 more per year on average
93% less violent crime than Cleveland
Stronger job market — unemployment is 7.1 pts lower (4.8%)
More college-educated — 49.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 35°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $900,600
Higher rents — median is $2,483/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Cleveland
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$813k less
$87,400 vs $900,600
Thousand Oaks
Median Income
$88,128
$125,399 vs $37,271/yr
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
93% lower
102.2 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Thousand Oaks
Unemployment
7.1 pp lower
4.8% vs 11.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | Thousand Oaks, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $900,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $2,483⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $125,399 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter | 25.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 18.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 27 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 49.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | Conejo Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F ✓ Warmer | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 ✓ Larger | 126,532 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 44.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% | 69.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% ✓ More | 20.3% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs Thousand Oaks's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 15 of 23 categories. Cleveland wins 8 and Thousand Oaks 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 Thousand Oaks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $900,600 median home), income ($37,271 vs $125,399), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and Thousand Oaks, CA are about 2,074 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.