City comparison

Canton, OH vs Provo, UT

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

Key findings

  • Prices in Provo, UT are 9.9% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $109,900 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
  • Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 13% in Canton, OH.
  • On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,566 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Canton, OH.
  • For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Canton, OH to Provo, UT ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.8% in real buying power.
CantonProvo
Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108
  • Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
  • Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)

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

Side by side

Canton, OHProvo, UT
Price level (U.S. = 100)289.498.2
$100,000 is worth, in the other city2$109,872 in Provo$91,015 in Canton
Typical 1-bedroom rent3$846/mo$1,265/mo
Take-home on $100,00014,15,8$77,212$75,646
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8$1,968 (OH)$3,534 (UT)
Rent burden on $100,00013%20%
Median pay, all jobs4$45,810$48,010
Federal locality pay area7Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PARest of U.S.

Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.

What costs more or less

Canton, OHProvo, UT
Price level (U.S. = 100)CantonProvo
Housing (rent)58.1104.1
Goods93.696.4
Utilities96.978.6
Other services98.999.0
Overall89.498.2
BEA Regional Price Parities2. Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Canton, OH → Provo, UT

Same pay buys less

Buying power −9.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,566/yr.

41 Weak offer

Provo, UT → Canton, OH

Same pay goes further

Buying power +9.9%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,566/yr.

100 Strong offer

Federal employees: GS pay

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

Grade5,2Canton, OHProvo, UTReal change, Canton → Provo
GS-9 step 1$64,448$61,722−12.8%
GS-11 step 1$77,977$74,678−12.8%
GS-12 step 1$93,461$89,508−12.8%
GS-13 step 1$111,138$106,437−12.8%
GS-14 step 1$131,331$125,776−12.8%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay4Canton, OHProvo, UTProvo pay in Canton dollars
Information Security Analysts$98,900$97,430$88,676 (−10.3%)
Software Developers$105,500$131,210$119,421 (+13.2%)
Accountants and Auditors$72,170$75,700$68,898 (−4.5%)
Registered Nurses$79,610$81,780$74,432 (−6.5%)

"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.