City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 19.6% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $119,600 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,419 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.7% moving from Baltimore, MD to Youngstown, OH ($121,785 → $111,138), while prices change by −16.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.1% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,641 in Youngstown | $119,559 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $771/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% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.6%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,419/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.4%; 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; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Baltimore → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $64,448 | +9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $77,977 | +9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $93,461 | +9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $111,138 | +9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $131,331 | +9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $72,560 | $86,752 (+13.5%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $107,990 | $129,111 (−7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $73,080 | $87,373 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $78,680 | $94,069 (−5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.