City comparison
Memphis, TN versus Cleveland, OH is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,274 a month in Memphis and $1,279 in Cleveland, and median household income lands at $48,090 versus $37,271. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Memphis takes affordability and job market, while Cleveland takes safety and weather. The widest gap is typical weather, where Cleveland leads by 51% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.
Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Memphis can feel further apart than Memphis and Cleveland do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Memphis and Cleveland reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Memphis, TN
Cleveland, OH
Rent
1% cheaper
Memphis rent is 1% cheaper than Cleveland
Memphis
Winner$1,274/mo
Cleveland
$1,279/mo
Typical rent runs $1,274 a month in Memphis versus $1,279 in Cleveland, so Memphis is 1% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $5, or $60 a year — noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Median income
29% higher
Memphis's median income is 29% higher than Cleveland
Memphis
Winner$48,090
Cleveland
$37,271
Median household income is $48,090 in Memphis versus $37,271 in Cleveland, so typical pay runs 29% higher in Memphis — about $10,819 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, Memphis is the stronger labor market on paper. Cleveland can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
39% lower crime
Cleveland's crime index is 39% lower than Memphis
Memphis
140 (100 = avg)
Cleveland
Winner86 (100 = avg)
Cleveland's crime index is 86 versus 140 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 39% 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.
School scores
Neck and neck
Memphis and Cleveland are about even on school scores.
Memphis
A- · 84/100
Cleveland
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Memphis, A- in Cleveland). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.
Typical weather
51% more comfortable
Cleveland weather is 51% more comfortable than Memphis
Memphis
84°F typical
Cleveland
Winner69°F typical
Cleveland scores 51% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 84°F in Memphis and 69°F in Cleveland. Memphis reads as hot, long summers; Cleveland reads as mild, livable temperatures. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Cleveland is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Memphis can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Memphis is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 1% cheaper here at about $1,274 a month. Choose Memphis if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Memphis is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 29% higher here ($48,090). Start with Memphis if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick Cleveland if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (69°F) beat Memphis on this page's weather index by 51%. Memphis may pay more or cost less, but Cleveland is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Cleveland is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 39% lower than Memphis (86 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
If weather is your priority, Cleveland is the clear choice.
If the job market matters more to you, Memphis pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Memphis offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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