City comparison
Akron, OH vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 8.2% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $108,200 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Akron, OH than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.9% moving from Akron, OH to Reno, NV ($111,138 → $106,855), while prices change by +8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.1% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,187 in Reno | $92,433 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
45 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Reno, NV | Real change, Akron → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,965 | −11.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,972 | −11.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,859 | −11.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,855 | −11.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $126,271 | −11.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $62,430 | $57,706 (−26.5%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $125,710 | $116,197 (+10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $82,370 | $76,137 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $107,520 | $99,384 (+23.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.