City comparison
Akron, OH vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 9.4% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $109,400 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.7% moving from Akron, OH to Fresno, CA ($111,138 → $106,973), while prices change by +9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.0% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,412 in Fresno | $91,398 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,355/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
42 Weak offer
Fresno, CA → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Fresno, CA | Real change, Akron → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $62,033 | −12.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $75,055 | −12.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,959 | −12.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,973 | −12.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $126,410 | −12.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $78,800 | $72,021 (−8.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $129,060 | $117,958 (+11.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $78,690 | $71,921 (−8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $125,420 | $114,631 (+41.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.