City comparison
Akron, OH vs El Paso, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Akron, OH are 3.8% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $103,800 in Akron, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $985 a month in Akron, OH and $1,013 in El Paso, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Akron, OH than in El Paso, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Akron, OH to El Paso, TX ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | El Paso, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 89.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,296 in El Paso | $103,846 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,013/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $39,510 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and El Paso, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | El Paso |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 71.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 82.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 89.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
81 Strong offer
El Paso, TX → Akron, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; El Paso, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to El Paso, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | El Paso, TX | Real change, Akron → El Paso |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | El Paso, TX | El Paso pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $63,800 | $66,254 (−15.7%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $127,310 | $132,206 (+25.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $65,990 | $68,528 (−12.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $86,100 | $89,411 (+10.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.