City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 19.1% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $119,100 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −16.5% moving from Modesto, CA to Youngstown, OH ($133,060 → $111,138), while prices change by −16.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (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
| Modesto, CA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,946 in Youngstown | $119,125 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.1%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Modesto → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $64,448 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $77,977 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $93,461 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $111,138 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $131,331 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $72,560 | $86,437 (−15.0%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $107,990 | $128,643 (+7.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $73,080 | $87,056 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $78,680 | $93,727 (−29.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.