City comparison
Portland, OR vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 20.6% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $120,600 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,953 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Portland, OR to Youngstown, OH ($114,684 → $111,138), while prices change by −17.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.9% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (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
| Portland, OR | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $82,900 in Youngstown | $120,627 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.6%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$5,953/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$5,953/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Portland → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $64,448 | +16.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $77,977 | +16.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $93,461 | +16.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $111,138 | +16.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $131,331 | +16.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $72,560 | $87,527 (+6.3%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $107,990 | $130,265 (−16.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $73,080 | $88,154 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $78,680 | $94,910 (−27.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.