City comparison
Provo, UT vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 5.0% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $105,000 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $464 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Scranton, PA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Provo, UT to Scranton, PA changes real buying power by +5.0%, purely from prices.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Provo, UT | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,240 in Scranton | $104,998 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$464/yr.
84 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$464/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Provo, UT to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Scranton, PA | Real change, Provo → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $76,590 | $80,418 (+27.8%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $119,960 | $125,956 (−4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $70,480 | $74,003 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $82,650 | $86,781 (+6.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.