City comparison
Akron, OH vs Boulder, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 12.7% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $112,700 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,724 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.8% moving from Akron, OH to Boulder, CO ($111,138 → $118,675), while prices change by +12.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.2% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Boulder, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 105.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,672 in Boulder | $88,753 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,795/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $69,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Boulder, CO MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Boulder, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Boulder |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 157.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 82.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 105.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.2%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$1,724/yr.
32 Weak offer
Boulder, CO → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,724/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Boulder, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Boulder, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Boulder, CO | Real change, Akron → Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $68,819 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $83,265 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $99,800 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $118,675 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $140,239 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Boulder, CO | Boulder pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $80,640 | $71,570 (−8.9%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $164,560 | $146,052 (+38.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $99,990 | $88,744 (+13.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $103,290 | $91,673 (+13.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.