City comparison
Tuscaloosa, AL vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Tuscaloosa, AL (87.7) and Youngstown, OH (87.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL goes as far as $99,600 in Youngstown, OH.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $972 a month in Tuscaloosa, AL versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Tuscaloosa, AL and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,767 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Tuscaloosa, AL to Youngstown, OH ($107,510 → $111,138), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.8% in real buying power.
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Tuscaloosa, AL | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 87.7 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,626 in Youngstown | $100,375 in Tuscaloosa |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $972/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Tuscaloosa, AL and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tuscaloosa | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.2 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 87.7 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tuscaloosa, AL → Youngstown, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
70 Fair offer
Youngstown, OH → Tuscaloosa, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Tuscaloosa, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Tuscaloosa, AL to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tuscaloosa, AL | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Tuscaloosa → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $64,448 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $77,977 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $93,461 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $111,138 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $131,331 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tuscaloosa, AL | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Tuscaloosa dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,220 | $72,560 | $72,832 (+20.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,870 | $107,990 | $108,395 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,690 | $73,080 | $73,354 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $75,250 | $78,680 | $78,975 (+5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.