City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cincinnati, OH (95.4) and York, PA (96.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH goes as far as $100,700 in York, PA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH and $1,060 in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in York, PA than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.8% moving from Cincinnati, OH to York, PA ($110,865 → $121,785), while prices change by +0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.1% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,661 in York | $99,344 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,060/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → York, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
67 Fair offer
York, PA → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | York, PA | Real change, Cincinnati → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $70,623 | +9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $85,447 | +9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $102,415 | +9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $121,785 | +9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $143,913 | +9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | York, PA | York pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $79,730 | $79,207 (+22.3%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $114,600 | $113,848 (−6.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $75,160 | $74,667 (−7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $96,210 | $95,579 (+14.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.