City comparison
Canton, OH vs Chicago, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 15.9% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $115,900 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 13% in Canton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,838 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Canton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.1% moving from Canton, OH to Chicago, IL ($111,138 → $118,984), while prices change by +15.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.6% in real buying power.
- Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Canton, OH | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,870 in Chicago | $86,303 in Canton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $846/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,810 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Canton | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.1 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 96.9 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Canton, OH → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,838/yr.
37 Weak offer
Chicago, IL → Canton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.9%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$2,838/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Canton, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Canton, OH to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Canton, OH | Chicago, IL | Real change, Canton → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $68,999 | −7.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $83,482 | −7.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $100,059 | −7.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $118,984 | −7.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $140,604 | −7.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Canton, OH | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Canton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $98,900 | $125,310 | $108,147 (+9.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,500 | $134,380 | $115,974 (+9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,170 | $82,360 | $71,079 (−1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,610 | $100,490 | $86,726 (+8.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.