City comparison
Akron, OH vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 11.0% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $111,000 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Akron, OH than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.6% moving from Akron, OH to Olympia, WA ($111,138 → $119,630), while prices change by +11.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.1% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,031 in Olympia | $90,065 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
37 Weak offer
Olympia, WA → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Olympia, WA | Real change, Akron → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $69,373 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $83,935 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $100,602 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $119,630 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $141,367 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $104,650 | $94,253 (+20.0%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $124,060 | $111,734 (+6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $94,470 | $85,084 (+8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $125,020 | $112,599 (+39.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.