Cleveland OH vs Mount Vernon NY — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Cleveland, OH

Ohio · Population: 367,523

  • Median HH Income$39,187
  • Median Home Price$117,703
  • Unemployment11.5%
  • Bachelor's+21.3%

Mount Vernon, NY

New York · Population: 72,528

  • Median HH Income$77,171
  • Median Home Price$579,771
  • Unemployment6.9%
  • Bachelor's+35.0%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Cleveland
367,523
Cleveland +
Mount Vernon
72,528
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Cleveland
N/A
Mount Vernon
N/A
Median Age
Cleveland
36.3
Cleveland +
Mount Vernon
41.9
Foreign Born
Cleveland
6.1%
Mount Vernon
31.9%
Mount Vernon +
White
Cleveland
36.7%
Cleveland +
Mount Vernon
16.2%
Black
Cleveland
46.8%
Mount Vernon
60.4%
Mount Vernon +
Asian
Cleveland
2.3%
Cleveland +
Mount Vernon
2.2%
Hispanic
Cleveland
12.8%
Mount Vernon
18.3%
Mount Vernon +
Spanish at Home
Cleveland
N/A
Mount Vernon
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Cleveland
$39,187
Mount Vernon
$77,171
Mount Vernon +
Per Capita Income
Cleveland
$27,078
Mount Vernon
$42,158
Mount Vernon +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Cleveland
$58,300
Mount Vernon
$77,425
Mount Vernon +
Unemployment Rate
Cleveland
11.5%
Mount Vernon
6.9%
Mount Vernon +
Poverty Rate
Cleveland
30.8%
Mount Vernon
13.6%
Mount Vernon +
Bachelor's Degree+
Cleveland
21.3%
Mount Vernon
35.0%
Mount Vernon +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Cleveland
$117,703
Cleveland +
Mount Vernon
$579,771
Homeownership Rate
Cleveland
41.2%
Mount Vernon
42.1%
Mount Vernon +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Cleveland
319
Cleveland +
Mount Vernon
434
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Cleveland
1866
Mount Vernon
1736
Mount Vernon +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Cleveland
42.2%
Mount Vernon
33.2%
Mount Vernon +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Cleveland
17.7%
Mount Vernon
13.6%
Mount Vernon +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Cleveland
19.6%
Mount Vernon
16.3%
Mount Vernon +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Cleveland
13.4%
Mount Vernon
9.3%
Mount Vernon +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Cleveland
16.2%
Mount Vernon
12.8%
Mount Vernon +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Cleveland
21.5%
Mount Vernon
12.8%
Mount Vernon +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Cleveland
52.7°F
Mount Vernon
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Cleveland
36.4 in
Mount Vernon
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Cleveland
10.3 µg/m³
Mount Vernon
8.1 µg/m³
Mount Vernon +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Cleveland
55.0%
Mount Vernon
75.0%
Mount Vernon +

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Cleveland
24.3 min
Cleveland +
Mount Vernon
38.6 min

Which City is Right for You?

Mount Vernon leads in median household income at $77,171, while cleveland offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $117,703. On public safety, Cleveland is safer with a violent crime rate of 319 per 100,000 residents, compared to 434 in Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon has a lower unemployment rate at 6.9%, and Mount Vernon has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 8.1 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Mount Vernon scores better with a lower obesity rate of 33.2%.

Compare More Cities

About Cleveland & Mount Vernon