City comparison
Canton, OH vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 6.7% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $106,700 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH versus $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 13% in Canton, OH.
- Both are in OH, so estimated state income tax is the same: $1,968 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.2% moving from Canton, OH to Cincinnati, OH ($111,138 → $110,865), while prices change by +6.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.5% in real buying power.
- Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Canton, OH | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,671 in Cincinnati | $93,746 in Canton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $846/mo | $1,051/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,810 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Canton | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.1 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 96.9 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Canton, OH → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
49 Fair offer
Cincinnati, OH → Canton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Canton, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Canton, OH to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Canton, OH | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Canton → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $64,290 | −6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $77,785 | −6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $93,231 | −6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $110,865 | −6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $131,009 | −6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Canton, OH | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Canton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,940 | $64,740 | $60,691 (−22.1%) |
| Software Developers | $105,500 | $121,420 | $113,827 (+7.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,170 | $80,640 | $75,597 (+4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,610 | $83,650 | $78,419 (−1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.