City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 14.5% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $114,500 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,600 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.3% moving from Atlanta, GA to Youngstown, OH ($112,556 → $111,138), while prices change by −12.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.0% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,343 in Youngstown | $114,491 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.5%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,600/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,600/yr.
35 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Atlanta → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $64,448 | +13.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $77,977 | +13.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $93,461 | +13.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $111,138 | +13.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $131,331 | +13.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $72,560 | $83,074 (+8.5%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $107,990 | $123,639 (−7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $73,080 | $83,670 (−2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $78,680 | $90,081 (−10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.