City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 8.7% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $108,700 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cincinnati, OH than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.9% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Olympia, WA ($110,865 → $119,630), while prices change by +8.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,703 in Olympia | $91,994 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
43 Weak offer
Olympia, WA → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Olympia, WA | Real change, Cincinnati → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $69,373 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $83,935 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $100,602 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $119,630 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $141,367 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $104,650 | $96,272 (+48.7%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $124,060 | $114,128 (−6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $94,470 | $86,907 (+7.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $125,020 | $115,011 (+37.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.