City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 11.8% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $111,800 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.4% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Sacramento, CA ($110,865 → $117,984), while prices change by +11.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,849 in Sacramento | $89,407 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.6%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Cincinnati → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $68,419 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $82,780 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $99,218 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $117,984 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $139,422 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $103,390 | $92,437 (+42.8%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $139,640 | $124,847 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $92,110 | $82,352 (+2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $171,460 | $153,297 (+83.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.