City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 1.9% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $101,900 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH and $1,028 in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Scranton, PA than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Scranton, PA ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,098 in Scranton | $101,939 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Scranton, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
75 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Scranton, PA | Real change, Cincinnati → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $76,590 | $78,075 (+20.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $119,960 | $122,286 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $70,480 | $71,847 (−10.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $82,650 | $84,253 (+0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.