DataBank CLE1

Cleveland's economy combines healthcare (Cleveland Clinic anchors the region), advanced manufacturing (steel, polymers, automotive supply), KeyBank financial services, and a growing fintech and tech presence. Data centers serve those enterprise tenants — six tracked facilities and roughly 1,000 NAICS 518 jobs (estimated). The metro is a steady mid-tier Midwest market.

Electricians at 4,420 workers earn $70,860 median, well above national and anchored by IBEW Local 38. HVAC technicians at $62,790 earn less than electricians but the gap is moderate. The standout is the maintenance and repair pool: 12,860 workers — large relative to the metro's total trades headcount — earning $51,930. This deep industrial maintenance base transfers cleanly into facility tech work and reflects Cleveland's manufacturing heritage.

For a trades worker, Cleveland's strongest fit is for maintenance workers transitioning from industrial settings into data center facility ops. Union electrician work is also strong. Cost of living is among the lowest in this dataset, which makes the wage profile more competitive than it looks at first glance.