City comparison
Akron, OH vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Akron, OH are 4.7% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $104,700 in Akron, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $985 a month in Akron, OH and $987 in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,987 a year higher in Tulsa, OK than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Akron, OH to Tulsa, OK ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Tulsa, OK: price level 89.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,549 in Tulsa | $104,658 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,987/yr.
83 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Akron, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,987/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Akron → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $48,220 | $50,466 (−35.8%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $108,730 | $113,795 (+7.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $81,320 | $85,108 (+8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $84,790 | $88,740 (+9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.