City comparison
Akron, OH vs Columbia, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Akron, OH (93.4) and Columbia, SC (93.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Akron, OH goes as far as $100,300 in Columbia, SC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,875 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Akron, OH to Columbia, SC ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.5% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Columbia, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 93.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,313 in Columbia | $99,688 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,164/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $46,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Columbia, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 79.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 93.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$2,875/yr.
68 Fair offer
Columbia, SC → Akron, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,875/yr.
70 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Columbia, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Columbia, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Columbia, SC | Real change, Akron → Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Columbia, SC | Columbia pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $104,530 | $101,330 | $101,014 (−3.4%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $123,380 | $122,995 (+16.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $69,210 | $68,994 (−12.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $81,920 | $81,665 (+1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.