Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Clara, CA
VS
Toledo, OH
🏆 Santa Clara leads 12 of 23 categories
Santa Clara
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$165,352 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48 ✓ Safer
Population
128,058
Toledo
Ohio
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$45,405
Violent Crime Index
274⚠ High
Population
269,962 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Clara, CA
Pros
Households earn $119,947 more per year on average
83% less violent crime than Toledo
More college-educated — 64.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.0 pts lower (4.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 34°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,440,200
Higher rents — median is $2,841/mo
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Toledo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Toledo, OH
Pros
Homes cost $1341k less ($98,800 vs $1,440,200)
Rent averages $1987/mo less ($854 vs $2,841)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Clara
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.4)
Smaller class sizes — 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clara by $119,947/yr
Violent crime (1041.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2732.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.2% vs 4.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Clara
Median Income
$119,947
$165,352 vs $45,405/yr
Santa Clara
Violent Crime
83% lower
182.0 vs 1041.1 per 100k
Santa Clara
Unemployment
4.0 pp lower
4.2% vs 8.2% unemployment
Toledo
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 90.4 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
Toledo
Median Home Value
$1341k less
$98,800 vs $1,440,200
Toledo
Summer Heat
3.8°F warmer
July avg high 84.6°F vs 80.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Clara, CA | Toledo, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.9⚠ High | 90.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,440,200⚠ High | $98,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,841⚠ High | $854 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $165,352 ✓ Higher | $45,405 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.9% ✓ Higher | 4.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 ✓ Safer | 216⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 ✓ Safer | 274⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | C+ (86) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.0:1 | 15.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 64.6% ✓ Higher | 20.2% |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% ✓ Higher | 88.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Clara Unified | Toledo City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.8°F ✓ Warmer | 33.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 80.8°F | 84.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.6" ✓ Drier | 37.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 37.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 128,058 | 269,962 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 35.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.9% | 52.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | 23.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 14.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Clara's cost of living index is 112.9 vs Toledo's 90.4 (US average = 100).
Toledo is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Clara leads 12 of 23 categories. Santa Clara wins 12 and Toledo wins 11. 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 Santa Clara to Toledo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,440,200 vs $98,800 median home), income ($165,352 vs $45,405), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Clara, CA and Toledo, OH are about 2,050 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.