City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 14.2% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $114,200 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 $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,419 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Toledo, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Baltimore, MD to Toledo, OH ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baltimore, MD | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,528 in Toledo | $114,250 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $820/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% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.2%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$2,419/yr.
100 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$2,419/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Toledo, OH is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Toledo, OH | Real change, Baltimore → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $63,250 | $72,263 (−5.4%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $104,360 | $119,231 (−14.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $77,400 | $88,429 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $81,050 | $92,599 (−7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.