Cost of Living in Cleveland
Cleveland runs affordable -- median home sale price in the $295K-$330K range and rent well below several national benchmarks -- though sources genuinely disagree on the exact direction of recent home-price movement.
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreHousing costs read affordably, though direction is genuinely disputed by source
One October 2025 Redfin read showed $295,000, down 10.3% year-over-year; a June 2026 Redfin read instead showed $329,821, up 4.2% year-over-year. Both are real citations from the same source at different points in time -- a genuine, disclosed swing from decline to increase within about 8 months, not a source-methodology conflict. New construction runs higher, at a $365,000 median list price.
Rent runs affordably by unit size
Cited figures: 1-bedroom $887/month, 2-bedroom $1,328/month, 3-bedroom $1,748/month -- with overall average readings ranging more widely, from roughly $887 to $1,364/month depending on tracker and month, a real, disclosed spread rather than one settled figure.
No state income tax, but a real, high sales tax offset
Tennessee has no tax on wages or salaries. Cleveland/Bradley County's combined sales tax rate is 9.75% (7% state + 2.75% county, the maximum local rate) -- among the highest combined rates in the country, the real trade-off for no income tax.
Household income figures genuinely disagree by source -- a real, disclosed gap
One source cited Cleveland's median household income at just $30,797 -- an outlier that reads as implausibly low. Multiple other, more consistent sources cite the 2024 ACS 5-year estimate at $58,559, treated here as the more reliable figure. Bradley County overall runs higher still, at $63,789.
Key takeaways
- Median home price readings genuinely disagree in DIRECTION by month: $295,000 (Oct 2025, down 10.3% YoY) vs. $329,821 (June 2026, up 4.2% YoY) -- both real Redfin citations, disclosed rather than smoothed.
- Rent by unit size: 1BR $887, 2BR $1,328, 3BR $1,748/month -- affordable, with a real, wider spread (roughly $887-$1,364) across overall-average trackers.
- Tennessee's no state income tax is offset by a real, high 9.75% combined sales tax in Cleveland/Bradley County.
- Median household income figures genuinely disagree: an outlier $30,797 city figure versus a better-corroborated $58,559 (2024 ACS) -- both disclosed, with the latter treated as more reliable.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceRead the full Cleveland overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert