City comparison
Scranton, PA vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 2.3% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $102,300 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,028 a month in Scranton, PA versus $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Scranton, PA and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Scranton, PA than in Toledo, OH.
- 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 Toledo, OH changes real buying power by +2.3%, purely from prices.
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Scranton, PA | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,754 in Toledo | $102,297 in Scranton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,028/mo | $820/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 | 16% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,330 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Scranton | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.0 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 106.5 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Scranton, PA → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
76 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
62 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 Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Scranton, PA | Toledo, OH | Real change, Scranton → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Scranton, PA | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Scranton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,590 | $63,250 | $64,703 (−15.5%) |
| Software Developers | $119,960 | $104,360 | $106,757 (−11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,480 | $77,400 | $79,178 (+12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,650 | $81,050 | $82,912 (+0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.