City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cincinnati, OH (95.4) and St. Louis, MO (95.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH goes as far as $99,700 in St. Louis, MO.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,795 a year higher in St. Louis, MO than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Cincinnati, OH to St. Louis, MO ($110,865 → $109,137), while prices change by −0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.3% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,704 in St. Louis | $100,297 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → St. Louis, MO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,795/yr.
70 Fair offer
St. Louis, MO → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,795/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Cincinnati → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $63,288 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $76,573 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $91,779 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $109,137 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $128,967 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $60,650 | $60,830 (−6.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $129,030 | $129,413 (+6.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $78,880 | $79,114 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $83,180 | $83,427 (−0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.