City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 2.7% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $102,700 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,105 a month in South Bend, IN versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in South Bend, IN and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $953 a year higher in South Bend, IN than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to South Bend, IN ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.4% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,366 in South Bend | $102,705 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $46,540 |
| 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 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$953/yr.
77 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$953/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | South Bend, IN | Real change, Cincinnati → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $58,180 | $59,754 (−7.7%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $95,500 | $98,083 (−19.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $77,940 | $80,048 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $93,540 | $96,070 (+14.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.