City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 9.2% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $109,200 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $866 in Brownsville, TX. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, OH and 13% in Brownsville, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cleveland, OH than in Brownsville, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Brownsville, TX to Cleveland, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by +9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.4% in real buying power.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Brownsville, TX | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,245 in Cleveland | $91,538 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $1,058/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
42 Weak offer
Cleveland, OH → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.2%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Brownsville, TX is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Brownsville, TX to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Brownsville → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $76,470 | $69,999 (+10.5%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $111,310 | $101,891 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $80,000 | $73,230 (+10.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $83,940 | $76,837 (−5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.