City comparison
Urban Honolulu, HI vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 27.0% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $127,000 in Urban Honolulu, HI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,016 a month in Urban Honolulu, HI versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,102 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.0% moving from Urban Honolulu, HI to Youngstown, OH ($111,119 → $111,138), while prices change by −21.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +27.0% in real buying power.
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (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
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.0 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $78,761 in Youngstown | $126,966 in Urban Honolulu |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,016/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,110 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $6,070 (HI) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,220 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Hawaii | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Urban Honolulu, HI MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Urban Honolulu, HI and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Urban Honolulu | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.5 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 111.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 187.3 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 102.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 111.0 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Urban Honolulu, HI → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +27.0%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,102/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −21.2%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$4,102/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Urban Honolulu, HI is in the State of Hawaii pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Urban Honolulu, HI to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Urban Honolulu → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,438 | $64,448 | +27.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,964 | $77,977 | +27.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,445 | $93,461 | +27.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,119 | $111,138 | +27.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,310 | $131,331 | +27.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Urban Honolulu dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,080 | $72,560 | $92,127 (+26.1%) |
| Software Developers | $120,230 | $107,990 | $137,111 (+14.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,990 | $73,080 | $92,787 (+23.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,260 | $78,680 | $99,897 (−28.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.