City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 17.3% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $117,300 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.2% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Youngstown, OH ($117,284 → $111,138), while prices change by −14.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.2% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (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
| Philadelphia, PA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,218 in Youngstown | $117,347 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.3%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Philadelphia → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $64,448 | +11.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $77,977 | +11.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $93,461 | +11.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $111,138 | +11.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $131,331 | +11.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $72,560 | $85,147 (+8.4%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $107,990 | $126,723 (−4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $73,080 | $85,757 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $78,680 | $92,328 (−8.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.