What it's like to live in East Cleveland
East Cleveland is a small city in Ohio with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, schools with smaller class sizes than the national average, and public transit that many commuters actually use. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. East Cleveland deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and college degree attainment below the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low student-teacher ratio
- Public transit that many commuters use
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
- Shrinking population
- High poverty rate
How East Cleveland compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to East Cleveland
Based on East Cleveland's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,552
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $31,040 a year
- 58% of East Cleveland renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$13,760
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $6,880
- Homes cost 3.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 45% below US
$776/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $776 a month. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $68,800. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $68,800 · 58% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.1% county unemployment
Unemployment in Cuyahoga County is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Cuyahoga County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 420% above US
1713 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2953/100k · East Cleveland Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
25 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 16% take public transit; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 79°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 52% below US
17% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is James A Garfield National Historic Site (15 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
East Cleveland's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($776/mo) equals 42% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who would rather not drive.
Other places near East Cleveland
All Ohio guides →Moving to Cleveland Heights →
2 mi away · pop. 44,497
Rent $1,216/mo · Income $72,826
Compare with East Cleveland →Moving to South Euclid →
3 mi away · pop. 21,534
Rent $1,367/mo · Income $81,297
Compare with East Cleveland →Moving to University Heights →
3 mi away · pop. 13,394
Rent $1,507/mo · Income $96,971
Compare with East Cleveland →Moving to Shaker Heights →
4 mi away · pop. 28,922
Rent $1,168/mo · Income $104,073
Compare with East Cleveland →Not sure East Cleveland is the one?
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