Cost of living in the Cleveland Metro Area
6 counties across OH. Population: 2,171,978.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Cleveland Metro Area
Average rent across the Cleveland metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Cleveland Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 6 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Cleveland Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Cleveland Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 6 counties in the Cleveland Metro Area
The Cleveland metro area includes 6 counties. Sorted by population.
- Cleveland OH$2,929/moPop1,249,418 Rent$995/mo Income$62,823/yrCleveland OH 1,249,418 $995/mo $62,823/yr $2,929/mo
- Lorain County OH$2,943/moPop314,588 Rent$995/mo Income$70,693/yrLorain County OH 314,588 $995/mo $70,693/yr $2,943/mo
- Lake County OH$2,997/moPop232,101 Rent$995/mo Income$77,952/yrLake County OH 232,101 $995/mo $77,952/yr $2,997/mo
- Medina County OH$3,057/moPop183,049 Rent$995/mo Income$92,660/yrMedina County OH 183,049 $995/mo $92,660/yr $3,057/mo
- Ashtabula County OH$2,549/moPop97,343 Rent$750/mo Income$55,507/yrAshtabula County OH 97,343 $750/mo $55,507/yr $2,549/mo
- Geauga County OH$3,069/moPop95,479 Rent$995/mo Income$100,783/yrGeauga County OH 95,479 $995/mo $100,783/yr $3,069/mo
Compare counties in the Cleveland Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Cleveland Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Cleveland Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Cleveland metro area is approximately $2,938 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 6 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Cleveland Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Cleveland metro area is $984 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Cleveland Metro Area?
Ashtabula County, OH is the most affordable county in the Cleveland metro area at approximately $2,549 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Cleveland Metro Area?
Geauga County, OH is the most expensive county in the Cleveland metro area at approximately $3,069 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Cleveland Metro Area?
The Cleveland metro area covers 6 counties. The five largest by population are Cleveland, Lorain County, Lake County, Medina County, Ashtabula County.
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About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.