City comparison
Akron, OH vs Clarksville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Akron, OH are 2.7% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $102,700 in Akron, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,094 a month in Clarksville, TN versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Clarksville, TN and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Akron, OH than in Clarksville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Akron, OH to Clarksville, TN ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Clarksville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 90.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,405 in Clarksville | $102,664 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,094/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $44,860 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Clarksville, TN-KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Clarksville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 73.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 72.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 90.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Clarksville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
77 Strong offer
Clarksville, TN → Akron, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Clarksville, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Clarksville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Clarksville, TN | Real change, Akron → Clarksville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Clarksville, TN | Clarksville pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $59,760 | $61,352 (−21.9%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $96,650 | $99,225 (−5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $72,760 | $74,698 (−4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $79,450 | $81,567 (+1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.