City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Canton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 17.7% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $117,700 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 13% in Canton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,724 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Canton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.4% moving from Boulder, CO to Canton, OH ($118,675 → $111,138), while prices change by −15.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.2% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Canton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,985 in Canton | $117,668 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $846/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $45,810 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Canton-Massillon, OH MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Canton-Massillon, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Canton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 58.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 96.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Canton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.7%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,724/yr.
100 Strong offer
Canton, OH → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$1,724/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Canton, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Canton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Canton, OH | Real change, Boulder → Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,448 | +10.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $77,977 | +10.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,461 | +10.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,138 | +10.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,331 | +10.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Canton, OH | Canton pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $77,940 | $91,710 (+13.7%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $105,500 | $124,139 (−24.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $72,170 | $84,921 (−15.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $79,610 | $93,675 (−9.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.