City comparison
No. Cleveland's crime index is 341 versus 495 in Memphis, and its violent crime index is 425 versus 629, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Cleveland is cheaper. Median rent is $1,060 a month versus $1,181 in Memphis.
Climate is the sharpest divide between Memphis and Cleveland. Memphis averages 68°F while Cleveland averages 53°F, a difference that affects utility bills, outdoor lifestyle, and how you feel nine months of the year. Rent runs $1,181 versus $1,060.
Cleveland is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, and safety by margins that add up in daily life. Memphis makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Cleveland is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. Cleveland has rougher pockets and Memphis has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Memphis and Cleveland are 630 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,181 a month in Memphis to $1,060 a month in Cleveland, down $121 a month (10%).
Median household income goes from $51,736 in Memphis to $64,468 in Cleveland, up $12,732 (25%).
The crime index goes from 495 in Memphis to 341 in Cleveland, down 154 points (31%).
The move
Cleveland and Memphis are 630 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,060 a month in Cleveland to $1,181 a month in Memphis, up $121 a month (11%).
Median household income goes from $64,468 in Cleveland to $51,736 in Memphis, down $12,732 (20%).
The crime index goes from 341 in Cleveland to 495 in Memphis, up 154 points (45%).
Memphis, TN
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Cleveland, OH
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Memphis and Cleveland? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
10% cheaper
Cleveland rent is 10% cheaper than Memphis
Memphis
$1,181/mo
Cleveland
Winner$1,060/mo
Typical rent runs $1,060 a month in Cleveland versus $1,181 in Memphis, so Cleveland is 10% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $1,452, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Cleveland still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Memphis.
Planning to buy in Cleveland? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
25% higher
Cleveland's median income is 25% higher than Memphis
Memphis
$51,736
Cleveland
Winner$64,468
Median household income is $64,468 in Cleveland versus $51,736 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 25% higher in Cleveland (about $12,732 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Cleveland is the stronger labor market on paper. Memphis can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
31% lower crime
Cleveland's crime index is 31% lower than Memphis
Memphis
495 (100 = avg)
Cleveland
Winner341 (100 = avg)
Cleveland's crime index is 341 versus 495 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 31% lower in Cleveland. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Cleveland is the easier city. Memphis can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
52% more comfortable
Memphis weather is 52% more comfortable than Cleveland
Memphis
Winner68°F avg · 78°F highs · comfort 100/100
Cleveland
53°F avg · 58°F highs · comfort 66/100
Memphis averages about 68°F (78°F highs); Cleveland averages about 53°F (58°F highs). Memphis sits near 68°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Cleveland averages around 53°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Memphis scores 52% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Cleveland if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick Memphis if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (68°F) beat Cleveland on this page's weather index by 52%. Cleveland may pay more or cost less, but Memphis is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Cleveland is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 10% cheaper here at about $1,060 a month. Choose Cleveland if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Cleveland is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 25% higher here ($64,468). Start with Cleveland if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Cleveland is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 31% lower than Memphis (341 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
On weather alone, Memphis is the warmer market (68°F) and Cleveland the cooler (53°F). Typical leases run $1,181 and $1,060; choose the climate you will tolerate year-round, not just on a visit weekend.
With only $121 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Median income is $64,468 in Cleveland versus $51,736 in Memphis.
Most movers who prioritize climate land in Memphis; Cleveland only makes sense when 53°F matches how you want to live year-round.
Common questions
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Next steps
Quotes and listings for Cleveland when you're ready to act.
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Memphis and Cleveland, plus other cities in TN and OH.
