City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 10.9% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $110,900 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,119 a month in Milwaukee, WI versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Milwaukee, WI and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,952 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.2% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Youngstown, OH ($111,310 → $111,138), while prices change by −9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.7% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (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
| Milwaukee, WI | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,155 in Youngstown | $110,920 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,952/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,952/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Milwaukee → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $64,448 | +10.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $77,977 | +10.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $93,461 | +10.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $111,138 | +10.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $131,331 | +10.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $72,560 | $80,483 (+30.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $107,990 | $119,782 (−3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $73,080 | $81,060 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $78,680 | $87,271 (−10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.