City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 17.1% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $117,100 in Cape Coral, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Youngstown, OH than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Youngstown, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −14.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +22.3% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,388 in Youngstown | $117,112 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.1%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Cape Coral → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +22.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +22.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +22.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +22.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +22.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $72,560 | $84,977 (+40.5%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $107,990 | $126,469 (−0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $73,080 | $85,586 (+7.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $78,680 | $92,144 (+11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.