City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 15.9% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $115,900 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,564 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.6% moving from Cleveland, OH to Washington, DC ($111,138 → $121,785), while prices change by +15.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cleveland, OH | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,929 in Washington | $86,260 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.7%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$3,564/yr.
26 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,564/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Washington, DC | Real change, Cleveland → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $70,623 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $85,447 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $102,415 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $121,785 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $143,913 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $79,470 | $68,551 (−10.4%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $154,930 | $133,642 (+20.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $102,140 | $88,106 (+10.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $102,710 | $88,597 (+5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.