City comparison
Akron, OH vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 8.1% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $108,100 in Tampa, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Akron, OH than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Akron, OH to Tampa, FL ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.4% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Tampa, FL: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,054 in Tampa | $92,546 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
44 Weak offer
Tampa, FL → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; 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; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Tampa, FL | Real change, Akron → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −11.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −11.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −11.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −11.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −11.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $60,120 | $55,639 (−29.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $130,450 | $120,727 (+14.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $78,990 | $73,102 (−6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $85,470 | $79,099 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.