City comparison
Akron, OH vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Akron, OH (93.4) and Cleveland, OH (93.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Akron, OH goes as far as $100,600 in Cleveland, OH.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, OH and 15% in Akron, OH.
- Both are in OH, so estimated state income tax is the same: $1,968 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $111,138 in either. A transfer from Akron, OH to Cleveland, OH changes real buying power by −0.6%, purely from prices.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,592 in Cleveland | $99,411 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,058/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Cleveland, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
67 Fair offer
Cleveland, OH → Akron, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Akron → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $64,448 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $77,977 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $93,461 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $111,138 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $131,331 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $76,470 | $76,020 (−3.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $111,310 | $110,655 (+5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $80,000 | $79,529 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $83,940 | $83,446 (+3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.