City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 7.0% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $107,000 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,268 a month in Kennewick, WA versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kennewick, WA and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Scranton, PA than in Kennewick, WA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Kennewick, WA to Scranton, PA changes real buying power by +7.0%, purely from prices.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- 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
| Kennewick, WA | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,482 in Scranton | $106,972 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
91 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Kennewick, WA to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Scranton, PA | Real change, Kennewick → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $76,590 | $81,930 (−18.4%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $119,960 | $128,324 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $70,480 | $75,394 (−19.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $82,650 | $88,413 (−16.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.