City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in York, PA are 2.2% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $102,200 in York, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,058 a month in Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.6% moving from Cleveland, OH to York, PA ($111,138 → $121,785), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.2% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,211 in York | $97,836 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/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 | $50,140 | $48,170 |
| 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 York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → York, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
62 Fair offer
York, PA → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | York, PA | Real change, Cleveland → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $70,623 | +7.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $85,447 | +7.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $102,415 | +7.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $121,785 | +7.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $143,913 | +7.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | York, PA | York pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $79,730 | $78,005 (+2.0%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $114,600 | $112,121 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $75,160 | $73,534 (−8.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $96,210 | $94,128 (+12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.