City comparison
Ogden, UT vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Ogden, UT (100.3) and Reno, NV (101.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Ogden, UT goes as far as $100,700 in Reno, NV.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,281 in Ogden, UT. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 20% in Ogden, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Ogden, UT than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Ogden, UT to Reno, NV ($106,437 → $106,855), while prices change by +0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (about average)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ogden, UT | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,663 in Reno | $99,342 in Ogden |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,281/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,900 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Ogden, UT MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ogden, UT and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ogden | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 78.8 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ogden, UT → Reno, NV
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
67 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Ogden, UT
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ogden, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Ogden, UT to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ogden, UT | Reno, NV | Real change, Ogden → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,965 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,972 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,859 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,855 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,271 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ogden, UT | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Ogden dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,910 | $62,430 | $62,019 (−3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $109,880 | $125,710 | $124,882 (+13.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,010 | $82,370 | $81,828 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,840 | $107,520 | $106,812 (+30.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.