City comparison
Akron, OH vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Akron, OH are 6.8% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $106,800 in Akron, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $985 a month in Akron, OH versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Akron, OH and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- Both are in OH, so estimated state income tax is the same: $1,968 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $111,138 in either. A transfer from Akron, OH to Youngstown, OH changes real buying power by +6.8%, purely from prices.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,600 in Youngstown | $106,838 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
90 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Akron, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Akron → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $64,448 | +6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $77,977 | +6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $93,461 | +6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $111,138 | +6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $131,331 | +6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $72,560 | $77,522 (−1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $107,990 | $115,374 (+9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $73,080 | $78,077 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $78,680 | $84,060 (+4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.