City comparison
Akron, OH vs Lafayette, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Akron, OH are 7.1% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $107,100 in Akron, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $985 a month in Akron, OH versus $898 in Lafayette, LA. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Akron, OH and 14% in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $646 a year higher in Lafayette, LA than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Akron, OH to Lafayette, LA ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.5% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Lafayette, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 87.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,402 in Lafayette | $107,065 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $898/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $41,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Lafayette, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 58.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 87.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$646/yr.
91 Strong offer
Lafayette, LA → Akron, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$646/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Lafayette, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Lafayette, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Lafayette, LA | Real change, Akron → Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | +2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | +2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | +2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | +2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | +2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Lafayette, LA | Lafayette pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $47,770 | $51,145 (−34.9%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $109,010 | $116,711 (+10.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $67,630 | $72,408 (−7.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $81,960 | $87,750 (+8.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.