Canton vs Cleveland
Compare Canton, OH and Cleveland, OH on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Housing costs are close: ACS median rent is $835/mo in Canton and $957/mo in Cleveland, with HUD 2-bedroom benchmarks of $905/mo and $1,108/mo. Across the four public-data screens (cost/climate, work, daily life, community) the metros land close together (233 vs 231 summed points), so the right pick depends on which tradeoffs you can live with.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 84°F and 84°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Canton; if walkable daily life matters more, Canton screens stronger on the walkability proxy (16 vs 11). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Canton leads 77 to 73 on the cost and climate screen.
Cleveland leads 84 to 76 on the work screen.
Canton leads 41 to 24 on the daily life screen.
Cleveland leads 50 to 39 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Canton is roughly $56,667 in Cleveland using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Canton | Cleveland | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $835/mo | $957/mo | Canton |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $905/mo | $1,108/mo | Canton |
| Median home value | $164,000 | $190,000 | Canton |
| State income tax | 2.8% | 2.8% | Tie |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 26.2 min | Canton |
| Safety score | 59/100 | 59/100 | Cleveland |
| School score | 3/10 | 4/10 | Cleveland |
| Walkability estimate | 16/100 | 11/100 | Canton |
| Outdoor score | 5/10 | 5/10 | Tie |
| Restaurants per 100k | 180.6 | 0 | Canton |
| Mountain distance | 40 mi | 81 mi | Canton |
| Coast distance | 265 mi | 304 mi | Canton |
What stands out
Canton stronger signals
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 32 miles
- Mountain access within 40 miles
- More affordable than many peer metros
Canton tradeoffs
- No major generic tradeoffs identified
Cleveland stronger signals
- Major airport access
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Ski location within 17 miles
- More affordable than many peer metros
Cleveland tradeoffs
- Cold winters
Common questions
Is Canton cheaper than Cleveland?
On public benchmarks Canton is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $835/mo in Canton vs $957/mo in Cleveland; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $905/mo vs $1,108/mo; state income tax is 2.8% vs 2.8%.
Is Canton or Cleveland safer?
Cleveland screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 59/100 for Canton and 59/100 for Cleveland (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Canton or Cleveland?
School screens show 3/10 for Canton vs 4/10 for Cleveland, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Canton and Cleveland?
Canton: summer highs near 84°F, winter lows near 18°F, disaster-risk band 2/3. Cleveland: 84°F / 12°F, disaster-risk band 2/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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