PlainRelocate

Relocation profile · Federal data

Cleveland, TN

BEA RPP 88.1 ranks #54 of 387 scored metros for lower prices (cheaper third).

88.1
Cost index (US=100)
$1,233
2BR rent / mo
$54,703
Median salary
45.2
LiveAbility Score

The verdict

As of June 2026, Cleveland ranks #280 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (45.2/100), with its strongest marks in cost of living and housing.

#280
of 387 US metros · Near median
7,227,750
metro-area population
602
violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
1,844
schools in the state (NCES)

Weakest dimension: safety (3/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.

According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Cleveland ranks #280 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 88.1 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,233/mo, median salary $54,703; LiveAbility Score 45.2/100, strongest in cost of living and housing.

Signature: BEA RPP 88.1 ranks #54 of 387 scored metros for lower prices (cheaper third).

Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 88.1 lands in the cheaper third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $1,233/mo.

LiveAbility 45.2/100 puts Cleveland in the bottom third (#280 of 387).

BLS OEWS total employment in the Cleveland area is 36,510.

Cleveland vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score

Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)

45 Top 72% higher than 28% of 387 US metros

Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026

Cleveland housing and rent

HUD Fair Market Rents for the Cleveland MSA; housing RPP 60.3 (100 = national average); 2BR $1,233/mo.

Studio
$850
/month
1 Bedroom
$940
/month
2 Bedroom
$1,233
/month
3 Bedroom
$1,584
/month
4 Bedroom
$1,633
/month

Cleveland wages and employment

Cleveland posts 36,510 total employment with median salary $54,703 against a cheaper-than-average RPP.

Median Salary
$54,703
Mean Salary
$58,392
Total Employment
36,510

Top Occupations by Employment

Occupation Median Salary
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $38,460
Fast Food and Counter Workers $26,140
Retail Salespersons $32,160
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $44,110
Cashiers $27,140

Schools & Education

State-level education data for the Cleveland area from NCES.

Schools
1,844
Enrollment
994,264
Student:Teacher
15.3:1
Title I %
0%

Childcare Costs

State-average childcare costs for the Cleveland area (DOL data).

Infant (Center)
$7,860
per year
Toddler (Center)
$6,190
per year
Preschool (Center)
$6,190
per year

Life Score Breakdown

Cleveland's composite Life Score is 42.5/100 (F), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.

Cost
86/100
Elite
Wages
10/100
Bottom decile
Rent
60/100
Above average
Crime
3/100
Bottom decile
Schools
50/100
Average
Childcare
68/100
Strong
Environment
20/100
Weak

LiveAbility Score

View full rankings →

Cleveland ranks #280 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 45.2/100 - a composite of 7 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data (missing dims omitted; remaining weights renormalized). Customize the weights to match your priorities →

Strongest dimension: Cost of living (86/100)

Cleveland - dimension scores

Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)

score

What this shows Cleveland's strongest dimensions are cost of living and housing; its weakest among scored dims is safety at 3/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%; this metro uses 7 of 8 dims with renormalized weights.

Source BEA · BLS · HUD · FBI · NCES · EPA · NOAA · FEMA As of Federal data, latest available vintage

Compare Cleveland to

Sierra Vista-Douglas Sioux City Sioux Falls Slidell-Mandeville-Covington South Bend-Mishawaka Spartanburg

Metros near Cleveland on cost, LiveAbility, or wages

Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Cleveland on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.

Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)

Similar LiveAbility score

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Cleveland cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Cleveland wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.

Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →

Thinking about Cleveland?

Cleveland runs a $54,703 median salary at a 88.1 cost index, ranking #280 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.

  • See exactly what Cleveland's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
  • Put Cleveland head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Cleveland
  • Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
  • A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide

Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.