Biggest tradeoff: Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on sunshine, weaker on climate comfort.
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Compare Duluth and 3 other shortlist cities on cost, climate, safety, and daily life
The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.
DuluthBuffaloClevelandDetroit
What Stands Out
A quick read on this comparison
Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.
Potential dealbreaker: Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on rent burden.
Tie-breaker: Cleveland, Ohio vs Detroit, Michigan
These two are close. The clearest tie-breaker is climate comfort, where Cleveland, Ohio has the edge.
Comparison Matrix
| City | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Route | ||||
| General Info | ||||
| Population | 86,772 | 258,071 | 388,072 | 677,116 |
| Population Density | 1.2k /sq mi | N/A | N/A | 4.6k /sq mi |
| Center Elevation | 702 ft(214 m) | 600 ft(183 m) | 653 ft(199 m) | 600 ft(183 m) |
| Housing & Wealth | ||||
| Median Home | $279,279 | $232,182 | $109,291 | $75,511 |
| Median Rent | $1,901 | $1,366 | $1,299 | $1,300 |
| Median Income | $63,545 | $46,184 | $37,271 | $37,761 |
| Rent Burden | 36% | 35% | 42% | 41% |
| Climate & Risks | ||||
| Days with 5+ Hours of Sun | 278 days/yr | 269 days/yr | 276 days/yr | 277 days/yr |
| Avg. High | 52°F | 57°F | 58°F | 60°F |
| Avg. Low | 37°F | 44°F | 47°F | 44°F |
| Comfort Score | 26/100Challenging | 49/100Mixed | 58/100Good | 47/100Mixed |
| Temp Swing | 56°F | 44°F | 43°F | 49°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.18"(79 cm) | 40.68"(103 cm) | 45"(114 cm) | 37"(94 cm) |
| Annual Snowfall | 90.2"(229 cm) | 95.4"(242 cm) | 14"(36 cm) | 28"(71 cm) |
| Air Quality | Typical: 432024 modeled avg · 15 days > 100 | Typical: 452024 modeled avg · 8 days > 100 | Typical: 442024 modeled avg · 45 days > 100 | Typical: 432024 modeled avg · 15 days > 100 |
| Infrastructure & Lifestyle | ||||
| Walkability | 36 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Transit Score | 33 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Safety Score | 72 / 100 | 55 / 100 | 35 / 100 | 28 / 100 |
| School Rating | 6.3/10 | 2.8/10 | 5.9/10 | 5.1/10 |
| Flood Risk (FEMA) | minimalMinimal Risk | minimalMinimal Risk | minimalMinimal Risk | minimalMinimal Risk |
| Central Tract Wildfire Risk | N/A | N/A | minimalMinimal | minimalMinimal |
| Internet Access | Fiber: 4%Cable: 79% | Fiber: 59%Cable: 97% | Fiber: 55%Cable: 98% | Fiber: 18%Cable: 99% |
| Demographics | ||||
| Median Age | 34.7 years | 33.9 years | 36.3 years | 35 years |
| College Educated | 41% | 30% | 20% | 17% |
| Remote Workers | 9% | 8% | 9% | 9% |
| Nature Access | ||||
| Local Nature & Reserves | Finding... | Finding... | Finding... | Finding... |
| Scouting & Local Help | ||||
Housing and local helpA practical next step once someone starts picturing the move. | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Duluth. One featured slot per city | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Buffalo. One featured slot per city | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Cleveland. One featured slot per city | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Detroit. One featured slot per city |
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