Cleveland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Rochester
Cleveland
Opportunity
58 · Top 45%
vs67 · Top 28%
Growth
29 · Bottom 19%
vs41 · Bottom 36%
Climate
62 · Bottom 34%
vs69 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 2%
vs97 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 17%
vs99 · Top 19%
Access
98 · Top 12%
vs87 · Top 45%
Economic stability
66 · Top 41%
vs64 · Top 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Rochester | Cleveland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,058,413 | 2,171,526 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,284 | $70,678 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,131 | $43,136 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 362/sq mi | 804/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $204,600 | $215,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,143 | $1,050 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.3% | 66.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.2% | 34.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,774 | 4,287 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.9% | 24.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.1" | 33.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 25.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 41.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Rochester, NY Metro Area · Cleveland, OH Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology