Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cleveland, OH
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Visalia 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
Visalia
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,658 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
141,466
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $229k less ($87,400 vs $316,600)
Rent averages $438/mo less ($851 vs $1,289)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Visalia
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 94°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Visalia by $38,387/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 5.6%)
Visalia, CA
Pros
Households earn $38,387 more per year on average
72% less violent crime than Cleveland
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.3 pts lower (5.6%)
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 35°F
More college-educated — 23.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $316,600
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Cleveland
Key Differences at a Glance
Cleveland
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 101.3 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$229k less
$87,400 vs $316,600
Visalia
Median Income
$38,387
$75,658 vs $37,271/yr
Visalia
Violent Crime
72% lower
435.3 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Visalia
Unemployment
6.3 pp lower
5.6% vs 11.9% unemployment
Visalia
Summer Heat
13.1°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 80.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cleveland, OH | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper | 101.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $87,400 ✓ Lower | $316,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $851 ✓ Lower | $1,289 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $37,271 | $75,658 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.9%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 331⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 411⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 211⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | C+ (88) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 23.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.9% | 86.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cleveland Municipal | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 35.3°F | 55.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.7°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 370,365 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.9% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleveland's cost of living index is 88.4 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Visalia leads 15 of 23 categories. Cleveland wins 8 and Visalia 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 Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($87,400 vs $316,600 median home), income ($37,271 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cleveland, OH and Visalia, CA are about 2,039 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.