City comparison
Akron, OH vs Chicago, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 11.0% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $111,000 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,838 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.1% moving from Akron, OH to Chicago, IL ($111,138 → $118,984), while prices change by +11.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.5% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,951 in Chicago | $90,130 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,838/yr.
37 Weak offer
Chicago, IL → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,838/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Chicago, IL | Real change, Akron → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $68,999 | −3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $83,482 | −3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $100,059 | −3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $118,984 | −3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $140,604 | −3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $78,390 | $70,653 (−10.1%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $134,380 | $121,116 (+14.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $82,360 | $74,231 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $100,490 | $90,571 (+12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.