City comparison
Akron, OH vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Akron, OH are 6.4% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $106,400 in Akron, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $985 a month in Akron, OH and $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,767 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Akron, OH to Tuscaloosa, AL ($111,138 → $107,510), while prices change by −6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,951 in Tuscaloosa | $106,439 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
89 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Akron, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Akron → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $62,344 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $75,431 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $90,410 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $107,510 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $127,044 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $60,220 | $64,097 (−18.4%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $104,870 | $111,622 (+5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $71,690 | $76,306 (−2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $75,250 | $80,095 (−0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.