City comparison

Canton, OH vs Cleveland, OH

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

  • Prices in Cleveland, OH are 5.1% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $105,100 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
  • Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, 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.
  • Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $111,138 in either. A transfer from Canton, OH to Cleveland, OH changes real buying power by −4.8%, purely from prices.
CantonCleveland
Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108
  • Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
  • Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)

Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.

Side by side

Canton, OHCleveland, OH
Price level (U.S. = 100)289.493.9
$100,000 is worth, in the other city2$105,052 in Cleveland$95,191 in Canton
Typical 1-bedroom rent3$846/mo$1,058/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 $100,00013%16%
Median pay, all jobs4$45,810$50,140
Federal locality pay area7Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PACleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA

Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and Cleveland, OH.

What costs more or less

Canton, OHCleveland, OH
Price level (U.S. = 100)CantonCleveland
Housing (rent)58.179.4
Goods93.693.6
Utilities96.996.0
Other services98.998.9
Overall89.493.9
BEA Regional Price Parities2. Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Canton, OH → Cleveland, OH

Same pay buys less

Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.

54 Fair offer

Cleveland, OH → Canton, OH

Same pay goes further

Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.

85 Strong offer

On the GS pay scale?

Both metros are in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Canton, OH to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade5,2Canton, OHCleveland, OHReal change, Canton → Cleveland
GS-9 step 1$64,448$64,448−4.8%
GS-11 step 1$77,977$77,977−4.8%
GS-12 step 1$93,461$93,461−4.8%
GS-13 step 1$111,138$111,138−4.8%
GS-14 step 1$131,331$131,331−4.8%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay4Canton, OHCleveland, OHCleveland pay in Canton dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$77,940$76,470$72,792 (−6.6%)
Software Developers$105,500$111,310$105,957 (+0.4%)
Accountants and Auditors$72,170$80,000$76,153 (+5.5%)
Registered Nurses$79,610$83,940$79,903 (+0.4%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Check your own offer

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Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.

Notes & Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, Metropolitan Statistical Area population estimates (Vintage 2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by MSA (MARPP), all items (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  3. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, 1-bedroom (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, metropolitan areas (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  5. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, General Schedule (GS) pay rates with locality pay, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  6. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Locality codes used in the 2026 GS pay spreadsheet (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  7. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026 Locality Pay Area Definitions (counties in each pay area) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  8. Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file: states, 1:20,000,000 (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau, Gazetteer file: core based statistical areas (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, table C24010 (occupation of employed residents) by ZIP code area (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  12. U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Tabulation Area relationship files (2020; Connecticut 2022) and Gazetteer locations (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  13. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary files (ZIP code areas 2020; counties and states 2024) and TIGER/Line primary roads (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  14. Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 tax brackets and standard deduction) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  15. Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide for 2026 (Social Security and Medicare) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  16. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, O*NET 31.0 Database: Job Titles (used under CC BY 4.0; O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA) (2026). Retrieved 2026-10-14.