City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Toledo, OH are 6.4% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $106,400 in Toledo, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $866 a month in Brownsville, TX versus $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 13% of take-home pay in Brownsville, TX and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Toledo, OH than in Brownsville, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Brownsville, TX to Toledo, OH changes real buying power by −6.0%, purely from prices.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Brownsville, TX | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,374 in Toledo | $94,008 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $820/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 | 13% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Toledo, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
50 Fair offer
Toledo, OH → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Brownsville, TX to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Toledo, OH | Real change, Brownsville → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $63,250 | $59,460 (−6.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $104,360 | $98,107 (−8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $77,400 | $72,762 (+9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $81,050 | $76,193 (−6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.