City comparison
Akron, OH vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 8.8% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $108,800 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Eugene, OR and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,953 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Akron, OH to Eugene, OR ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +8.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.0% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,780 in Eugene | $91,929 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,953/yr.
44 Weak offer
Eugene, OR → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$5,953/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Eugene, OR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Eugene, OR | Real change, Akron → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −12.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −12.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −12.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −12.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −12.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $64,260 | $59,073 (−24.8%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $121,050 | $111,280 (+5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $79,930 | $73,478 (−6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $113,720 | $104,541 (+29.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.