City comparison
Denver, CO vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 21.0% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $121,000 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,724 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.4% moving from Denver, CO to Youngstown, OH ($118,675 → $111,138), while prices change by −17.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.4% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $82,617 in Youngstown | $121,040 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.0%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,724/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.4%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$1,724/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Denver → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,448 | +13.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $77,977 | +13.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,461 | +13.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,138 | +13.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,331 | +13.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $72,560 | $87,827 (+14.2%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $107,990 | $130,711 (−5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $73,080 | $88,456 (−11.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $78,680 | $95,235 (−5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.