City comparison
Bridgeport, CT vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 13.8% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $113,800 in Bridgeport, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,100 a month in Bridgeport, CT versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,957 a year higher in Bridgeport, CT than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Bridgeport, CT to Cleveland, OH ($125,431 → $111,138), while prices change by −12.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.8% in real buying power.
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (pricier)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bridgeport, CT | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.9 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,890 in Cleveland | $113,778 in Bridgeport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,100/mo | $1,058/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,470 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bridgeport | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 150.5 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 147.1 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 106.9 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bridgeport, CT → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,957/yr.
100 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Bridgeport, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.1%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$1,957/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bridgeport, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Bridgeport, CT to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bridgeport, CT | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Bridgeport → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $64,448 | +0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $77,977 | +0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $93,461 | +0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $111,138 | +0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $131,331 | +0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bridgeport, CT | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Bridgeport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,600 | $76,470 | $87,006 (−11.8%) |
| Software Developers | $162,650 | $111,310 | $126,647 (−22.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,020 | $80,000 | $91,023 (−10.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $105,660 | $83,940 | $95,506 (−9.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.