City comparison
Akron, OH vs Boise City, ID
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 5.4% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $105,400 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,224 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Akron, OH to Boise City, ID ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.1% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Boise City, ID | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 98.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,378 in Boise City | $94,897 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,381/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,988 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,192 (ID) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $49,100 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Boise City, ID.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Boise City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 105.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 70.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 98.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,224/yr.
53 Fair offer
Boise City, ID → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,224/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Boise City, ID is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Boise City, ID at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Boise City, ID | Real change, Akron → Boise City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Boise City, ID | Boise City pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $61,230 | $58,105 (−26.0%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $131,590 | $124,875 (+18.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $76,700 | $72,786 (−7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $97,880 | $92,885 (+15.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.