City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 1.3% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $101,300 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, OH and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in Utica, NY than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Utica, NY ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.9% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cleveland, OH | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,674 in Utica | $101,343 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Utica, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
73 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Cleveland, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Utica, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Utica, NY | Real change, Cleveland → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $77,010 | $78,045 (+2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $113,390 | $114,913 (+3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $79,830 | $80,902 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $94,300 | $95,567 (+13.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.