01 · the cities
Cincinnati
Cincinnati is chili served on spaghetti (Skyline and Gold Star will fight you about which is better), German heritage in Over-the-Rhine's beer halls, and a riverfront that looks straight across at Kentucky. OTR's brick warehouses have become one of the best urban revitalizations in the country. The Reds play in baseball's oldest professional city. Pronounce it correctly and the locals warm up fast.
full dispatch→Cleveland
Cleveland is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the West Side Market's 100+ years of pierogies and bratwurst, and Lake Erie sunsets that put the coastal hype to shame. The Cuyahoga River caught fire so many times it inspired the Clean Water Act. The Cleveland Orchestra is consistently ranked among the world's best. Summers on the lake are gorgeous, and the food scene is having a real moment.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,549/mo
$1,419/mo
$130/mo less than Cincinnati (9%)
Median home price
Median home price
$316k
$252k
$64k less than Cincinnati
State income tax
State income tax
4.0%
4.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,452/mo
$6,582/mo
Cleveland has $130/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
162 days
159 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
3 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
26 days
27 days
days below 20°F per year
Cincinnati and Cleveland have remarkably similar weather profiles overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
72 / 100
63 / 100
9.0 pts behind Cincinnati
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
47 routes
56 routes
9 more direct routes than Cincinnati
Metro size
Metro size
2.3M metro
2.2M metro
Cincinnati and Cleveland have similar event volume.
the verdict
1
Cincinnati
categories won
4
Cleveland
categories won
Cleveland wins this comparison, leading on money.
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