City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 2.0% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $102,000 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Scranton, PA than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Scranton, PA ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,996 in Scranton | $102,045 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,028/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 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
75 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Scranton, PA | Real change, Columbus → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $76,590 | $78,156 (+0.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $119,960 | $122,413 (+0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $70,480 | $71,921 (−12.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $82,650 | $84,340 (+0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.