City comparison
Akron, OH vs Baltimore, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 11.9% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $111,900 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,419 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.6% moving from Akron, OH to Baltimore, MD ($111,138 → $121,785), while prices change by +11.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Baltimore, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 104.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,906 in Baltimore | $89,360 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,511/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $59,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Baltimore |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 118.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 102.4 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 110.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.5 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 104.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$2,419/yr.
38 Weak offer
Baltimore, MD → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,419/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Baltimore, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Baltimore, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Baltimore, MD | Real change, Akron → Baltimore |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $70,623 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $85,447 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $102,415 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $121,785 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $143,913 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Baltimore, MD | Baltimore pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $76,400 | $68,271 (−13.1%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $138,900 | $124,122 (+17.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $85,160 | $76,099 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $99,550 | $88,958 (+10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.