City comparison
Akron, OH vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 9.0% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $109,000 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,181 a year higher in Providence, RI than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.5% moving from Akron, OH to Providence, RI ($111,138 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,000 in Providence | $91,743 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,181/yr.
43 Weak offer
Providence, RI → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,181/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Providence, RI | Real change, Akron → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $69,905 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $84,579 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $101,375 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $120,548 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $142,452 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $86,720 | $79,560 (+1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $130,690 | $119,899 (+13.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $95,020 | $87,175 (+11.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $99,880 | $91,633 (+13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.