City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 14.8% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $114,800 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Detroit, MI and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,032 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Youngstown, OH ($117,402 → $111,138), while prices change by −12.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.6% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,134 in Youngstown | $114,765 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.8%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,032/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,032/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Detroit → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $64,448 | +8.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $77,977 | +8.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $93,461 | +8.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $111,138 | +8.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $131,331 | +8.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $72,560 | $83,274 (+27.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $107,990 | $123,935 (−5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $73,080 | $83,870 (+4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $78,680 | $90,297 (−7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.