CostIndexUSA

Charleston, WV vs Cleveland, OH Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableWV
Charleston
88.7
overall index
$1,000/mo rent
OH
Cleveland
93.9
overall index
$1,400/mo rent

Charleston is moderately cheaper than Cleveland — 5.9% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Charleston, you would need $84,700 in Cleveland. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+54.5%
Charleston
51.4
Cleveland
79.4
🛒 Groceries2.8%
Charleston
96.3
Cleveland
93.6
🚗 Transportation0.9%
Charleston
104.8
Cleveland
103.9
🏥 Healthcare0.8%
Charleston
94.8
Cleveland
94
Utilities+4.7%
Charleston
91.7
Cleveland
96

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Charleston to see what you'd need to earn in Cleveland to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Cleveland, OH
$84,700
$4,700 more needed in Cleveland

Formula: salary × (93.9 ÷ 88.7) = salary × 1.0586. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Charleston, WV

Median Home Price
$143,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,000
Housing Index
51.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
11.9×

Cleveland, OH

Median Home Price
$236,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,400
Housing Index
79.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.0×

Cleveland has 54.5% higher housing costs compared to Charleston.

Income & Job Market

Charleston, WV

Median Household Income
$55,400
Per Capita Income
$31,600
Unemployment Rate
5.1%
Population
47,068
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareEnergyFinanceEducation

Cleveland, OH

Median Household Income
$67,600
Per Capita Income
$38,500
Unemployment Rate
4.8%
Population
372,624
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingFinanceTechnologyEducation

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Charleston, WV
4.6×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

Cleveland, OH
4.0×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.