City comparison
Canton, OH vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 9.8% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $109,800 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 13% in Canton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Raleigh, NC than in Canton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.0% moving from Canton, OH to Raleigh, NC ($111,138 → $111,147), while prices change by +9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.9% in real buying power.
- Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Canton, OH | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,788 in Raleigh | $91,085 in Canton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $846/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,810 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Canton | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.1 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 96.9 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Canton, OH → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
40 Weak offer
Raleigh, NC → Canton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Canton, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Canton, OH to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Canton, OH | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Canton → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $64,453 | −8.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $77,983 | −8.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $93,468 | −8.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $111,147 | −8.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $131,342 | −8.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Canton, OH | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Canton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,940 | $60,170 | $54,806 (−29.7%) |
| Software Developers | $105,500 | $132,770 | $120,933 (+14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,170 | $81,950 | $74,644 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,610 | $84,830 | $77,267 (−2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.