City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 9.6% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $109,600 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,419 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.0% moving from Baltimore, MD to Cincinnati, OH ($121,785 → $110,865), while prices change by −8.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,275 in Cincinnati | $109,560 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,051/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,419/yr.
99 Strong offer
Cincinnati, OH → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$2,419/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Baltimore → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $64,290 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $77,785 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $93,231 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $110,865 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $131,009 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $64,740 | $70,929 (−7.2%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $121,420 | $133,027 (−4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $80,640 | $88,349 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $83,650 | $91,647 (−7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.