City comparison

Canton, OH vs New Orleans, LA

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

Key findings

  • Prices in New Orleans, LA are 3.6% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $103,600 in New Orleans, LA to live the same way.
  • Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,113 a month in New Orleans, LA versus $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in New Orleans, LA and 13% in Canton, OH.
  • On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $646 a year higher in New Orleans, LA than in Canton, OH.
  • For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Canton, OH to New Orleans, LA ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.5% in real buying power.
CantonNew Orleans
Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108
  • Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
  • New Orleans, LA: price level 92.6 (cheaper)

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

Side by side

Canton, OHNew Orleans, LA
Price level (U.S. = 100)289.492.6
$100,000 is worth, in the other city2$103,569 in New Orleans$96,554 in Canton
Typical 1-bedroom rent3$846/mo$1,113/mo
Take-home on $100,00014,15,8$77,212$76,566
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8$1,968 (OH)$2,614 (LA)
Rent burden on $100,00013%17%
Median pay, all jobs4$45,810$47,290
Federal locality pay area7Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PARest of U.S.

Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and New Orleans-Metairie, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and New Orleans-Metairie, LA.

What costs more or less

Canton, OHNew Orleans, LA
Price level (U.S. = 100)CantonNew Orleans
Housing (rent)58.186.0
Goods93.693.7
Utilities96.971.2
Other services98.995.7
Overall89.492.6
BEA Regional Price Parities2. Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Canton, OH → New Orleans, LA

Same pay buys less

Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$646/yr.

58 Fair offer

New Orleans, LA → Canton, OH

Same pay goes further

Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$646/yr.

80 Strong offer

On the GS pay scale?

Canton, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; New Orleans, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Canton, OH to New Orleans, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade5,2Canton, OHNew Orleans, LAReal change, Canton → New Orleans
GS-9 step 1$64,448$61,722−7.5%
GS-11 step 1$77,977$74,678−7.5%
GS-12 step 1$93,461$89,508−7.5%
GS-13 step 1$111,138$106,437−7.5%
GS-14 step 1$131,331$125,776−7.5%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay4Canton, OHNew Orleans, LANew Orleans pay in Canton dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$77,940$60,350$58,270 (−25.2%)
Software Developers$105,500$106,950$103,264 (−2.1%)
Accountants and Auditors$72,170$77,940$75,254 (+4.3%)
Registered Nurses$79,610$81,850$79,029 (−0.7%)

"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.