City comparison
Austin, TX vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Austin, TX are 2.8% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $102,800 in Austin, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cincinnati, OH than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.3% moving from Austin, TX to Cincinnati, OH ($109,428 → $110,865), while prices change by −2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.2% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Austin, TX | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,251 in Cincinnati | $102,827 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,051/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
78 Strong offer
Cincinnati, OH → Austin, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Austin → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $64,290 | +4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $77,785 | +4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $93,231 | +4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $110,865 | +4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $131,009 | +4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $64,740 | $66,570 (+8.7%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $121,420 | $124,852 (−6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $80,640 | $82,920 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $83,650 | $86,015 (−12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.