City comparison
Seattle, WA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 27.2% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $127,200 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Youngstown, OH than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.1% moving from Seattle, WA to Youngstown, OH ($119,630 → $111,138), while prices change by −21.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.1% in real buying power.
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much 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
| Seattle, WA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.1 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $78,639 in Youngstown | $127,163 in Seattle |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,146/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $72,610 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Seattle | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.3 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 104.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 106.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 111.1 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Seattle, WA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +27.2%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −21.4%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
26 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Seattle, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Seattle, WA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Seattle, WA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Seattle → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $64,448 | +18.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $77,977 | +18.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $93,461 | +18.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $111,138 | +18.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $131,331 | +18.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Seattle, WA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Seattle dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,920 | $72,560 | $92,270 (−10.3%) |
| Software Developers | $167,280 | $107,990 | $137,324 (−17.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,370 | $73,080 | $92,931 (−6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,260 | $78,680 | $100,052 (−22.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.