City comparison
Scranton, PA vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Scranton, PA (93.6) and South Bend, IN (92.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Scranton, PA goes as far as $99,300 in South Bend, IN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,105 a month in South Bend, IN versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in South Bend, IN and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,070 a year in PA and $2,921 in IN.
- 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 Scranton, PA to South Bend, IN changes real buying power by +0.8%, purely from prices.
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Scranton, PA | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,254 in South Bend | $100,752 in Scranton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,028/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,330 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Scranton | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.0 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 106.5 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Scranton, PA → South Bend, IN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$150/yr.
71 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Scranton, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$150/yr.
66 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 Scranton, PA to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Scranton, PA | South Bend, IN | Real change, Scranton → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Scranton, PA | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Scranton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,590 | $58,180 | $58,617 (−23.5%) |
| Software Developers | $119,960 | $95,500 | $96,218 (−19.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,480 | $77,940 | $78,526 (+11.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,650 | $93,540 | $94,243 (+14.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.