City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Grand Rapids, MI are 9.3% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $109,300 in Grand Rapids, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,032 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Grand Rapids, MI to Youngstown, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.2% in real buying power.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Grand Rapids, MI | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,468 in Youngstown | $109,328 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/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 | 20% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,032/yr.
98 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,032/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Grand Rapids, MI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Grand Rapids, MI to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Grand Rapids → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +14.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +14.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +14.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +14.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +14.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $72,560 | $79,328 (+28.2%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $107,990 | $118,063 (+9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $73,080 | $79,897 (+4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $78,680 | $86,019 (+2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.