City comparison
Boston, MA vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 13.5% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $113,500 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,812 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.0% moving from Boston, MA to Cincinnati, OH ($120,548 → $110,865), while prices change by −11.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.4% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boston, MA | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,089 in Cincinnati | $113,522 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,051/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,812/yr.
100 Strong offer
Cincinnati, OH → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.9%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$2,812/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Boston → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,290 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $77,785 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,231 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $110,865 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $131,009 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $64,740 | $73,494 (−25.1%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $121,420 | $137,838 (−17.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $80,640 | $91,544 (−8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $83,650 | $94,961 (−10.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.