Median rent is 19% lower in Cleveland ($945/mo vs $1,164/mo). Buying is cheaper in Cleveland, where the median home runs $102,000 versus $293,500. Households earn more in Lexington-Fayette ($69,479 vs $40,801 a year).
City A
Cleveland, OH
City B
Lexington-Fayette, KY
How much would you need to earn in Lexington-Fayette, KY to maintain your standard of living from Cleveland, OH?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Cleveland
Ohio
Lexington-Fayette
Kentucky
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Cleveland at $945/mo compared to $1,164/mo in Lexington-Fayette (19% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Lexington-Fayette: the median home is $293,500 versus $102,000 in Cleveland — 65% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Cleveland
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Lexington-Fayette
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Lexington-Fayette (avg AQI 24.0) but not yet for Cleveland.
Pick Lexington-Fayette if you prioritize higher median household income ($69,479/yr).
Pick Cleveland if you prioritize cheaper rent ($945/mo median).
Is Cleveland cheaper than Lexington-Fayette?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Cleveland vs Lexington-Fayette?
Median rent is $945/mo in Cleveland, OH and $1,164/mo in Lexington-Fayette, KY. Cleveland, OH has the lower rent by about 19%.
Which has higher salaries — Cleveland or Lexington-Fayette?
Median household income is $40,801 in Cleveland, OH and $69,479 in Lexington-Fayette, KY. Lexington-Fayette, KY has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Which has lower taxes — Cleveland or Lexington-Fayette?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Lexington-Fayette to match my Cleveland income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
