Living Cost Compare
Cleveland

Ohio

$940/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $940 in Cleveland, OH versus $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Cleveland, OH is roughly 24% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Wilmington, DE, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $39,187 in Cleveland, OH and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 29% higher in Wilmington, DE. Ohio has a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Cleveland, OH
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$678
$1,103
+63% in Wilmington, DE
1 Bedroom
$732
$1,024
+40% in Wilmington, DE
2 Bedroom
$903
$1,213
+34% in Wilmington, DE
3 Bedroom
$1,081
$1,394
+29% in Wilmington, DE

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$94,100
$224,500
+139% in Wilmington, DE

Income

Median Household Income
$39,187
$55,269
+41% in Wilmington, DE
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,140
$54,310
+8% in Wilmington, DE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.3 yr
37.0 yr
+0.7 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
41.2%
46.0%
+4.8 pp in Wilmington, DE
Bachelor's+ (25+)
21.3%
33.1%
+11.8 pp in Wilmington, DE
Avg Commute
22.9 min
23.0 min
+0.1 min in Wilmington, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,582
1,138.2
+28% in Cleveland, OH
Property Crime
4,531.3
3,182.4
+30% in Cleveland, OH

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
52.7°F
54.9°F
+2.2°F in Wilmington, DE
Annual Precipitation
36.4 in
43.1 in
+6.7 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.18/gal
$3.86/gal
+8% in Cleveland, OH

Area: Ohio vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
19.5
19.4
+1% in Cleveland, OH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$22.83
$22.51
+1% in Cleveland, OH

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Cleveland, OH
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in Wilmington, DE
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in Cleveland, OH
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in Cleveland, OH
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in Cleveland, OH
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — Midwest vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OH / DE)
5.75%
None
+5.8 pp in OH
Income Tax (top rate)
2.75%
6.60%
+3.8 pp in DE

Cleveland vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cleveland or Wilmington?
Cleveland, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Wilmington, DE's $1,230, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cleveland than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $29,000 a year in Cleveland versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Cleveland or Wilmington?
Cleveland is taxed under Ohio's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).