City comparison
Akron, OH vs Kennewick, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 7.2% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $107,200 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,268 a month in Kennewick, WA versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kennewick, WA and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Akron, OH than in Kennewick, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Akron, OH to Kennewick, WA ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +7.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.7% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Kennewick, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,185 in Kennewick | $93,296 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,268/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $57,290 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Kennewick-Richland, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Kennewick |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 94.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 93.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
48 Fair offer
Kennewick, WA → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Kennewick, WA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Kennewick, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Kennewick, WA | Real change, Akron → Kennewick |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −10.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −10.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −10.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −10.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −10.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Kennewick, WA | Kennewick pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $100,380 | $93,651 (+19.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $127,800 | $119,233 (+13.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $93,280 | $87,027 (+10.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $106,410 | $99,277 (+22.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.