City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 18.2% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $118,200 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $324 a year higher in Phoenix, AZ than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.2% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Youngstown, OH ($111,338 → $111,138), while prices change by −15.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.0% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (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
| Phoenix, AZ | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,589 in Youngstown | $118,219 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.2%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$324/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$324/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Phoenix → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $64,448 | +18.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $77,977 | +18.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $93,461 | +18.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $111,138 | +18.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $131,331 | +18.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $72,560 | $85,779 (+44.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $107,990 | $127,664 (−3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $73,080 | $86,394 (+6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $78,680 | $93,014 (−7.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.