City comparison
Akron, OH vs Atlanta, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 7.2% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $107,200 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,600 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.3% moving from Akron, OH to Atlanta, GA ($111,138 → $112,556), while prices change by +7.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Atlanta, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,163 in Atlanta | $93,316 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,660/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $51,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Atlanta |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 111.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.4 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,600/yr.
45 Fair offer
Atlanta, GA → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,600/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Atlanta, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Atlanta, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Atlanta, GA | Real change, Akron → Atlanta |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $65,271 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $78,972 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $94,654 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $112,556 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $133,007 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Atlanta, GA | Atlanta pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $76,570 | $71,452 (−9.0%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $132,960 | $124,073 (+17.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $85,820 | $80,084 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $100,490 | $93,773 (+16.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.