City comparison
Akron, OH vs Bakersfield, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bakersfield, CA are 8.0% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $108,000 in Bakersfield, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,140 a month in Bakersfield, CA versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Bakersfield, CA and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Bakersfield, CA than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.6% moving from Akron, OH to Bakersfield, CA ($111,138 → $124,085), while prices change by +8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Bakersfield, CA: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Bakersfield, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,050 in Bakersfield | $92,550 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,140/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $47,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Bakersfield-Delano, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 90.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Bakersfield, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
45 Fair offer
Bakersfield, CA → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Bakersfield, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Bakersfield, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Bakersfield, CA | Real change, Akron → Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $71,957 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $87,061 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $104,349 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $124,085 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $146,632 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Bakersfield, CA | Bakersfield pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $79,900 | $73,947 (−5.9%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $130,330 | $120,620 (+14.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $79,620 | $73,688 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $128,810 | $119,214 (+47.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.