City comparison
Akron, OH vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 1.4% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $101,400 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Akron, OH to Pittsburgh, PA ($111,138 → $110,047), while prices change by +1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,393 in Pittsburgh | $98,626 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Pittsburgh, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
64 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Akron, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Akron → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $63,815 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $77,211 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $92,543 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $110,047 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $130,042 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $76,550 | $75,498 (−3.9%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $124,500 | $122,789 (+16.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $76,940 | $75,883 (−3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $82,370 | $81,238 (+0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.