City comparison
Columbus, OH vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbus, OH (95.5) and York, PA (96.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbus, OH goes as far as $100,600 in York, PA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in York, PA than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.7% moving from Columbus, OH to York, PA ($111,065 → $121,785), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.0% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,556 in York | $99,447 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → York, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
67 Fair offer
York, PA → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | York, PA | Real change, Columbus → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $70,623 | +9.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $85,447 | +9.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $102,415 | +9.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $121,785 | +9.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $143,913 | +9.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | York, PA | York pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $79,730 | $79,289 (+1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $114,600 | $113,966 (−6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $75,160 | $74,744 (−8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $96,210 | $95,678 (+14.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.