City comparison
Canton, OH vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 18.3% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $118,300 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 13% in Canton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,724 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Canton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.8% moving from Canton, OH to Denver, CO ($111,138 → $118,675), while prices change by +18.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.7% in real buying power.
- Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Canton, OH | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $118,316 in Denver | $84,519 in Canton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $846/mo | $1,754/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,810 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Canton | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.1 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 96.9 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Canton, OH → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$1,724/yr.
33 Weak offer
Denver, CO → Canton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,724/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Canton, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Canton, OH to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Canton, OH | Denver, CO | Real change, Canton → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $68,819 | −9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $83,265 | −9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $99,800 | −9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $118,675 | −9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $140,239 | −9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Canton, OH | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Canton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,940 | $76,910 | $65,004 (−16.6%) |
| Software Developers | $105,500 | $137,610 | $116,307 (+10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,170 | $100,020 | $84,536 (+17.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,610 | $101,130 | $85,474 (+7.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.