City comparison
Canton, OH vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 4.6% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $104,600 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,028 a month in Scranton, PA versus $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Scranton, PA and 13% in Canton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Scranton, PA than in Canton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Canton, OH to Scranton, PA ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.5% in real buying power.
- Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Canton, OH | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,642 in Scranton | $95,564 in Canton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $846/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,810 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Canton | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.1 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 96.9 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Canton, OH → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
55 Fair offer
Scranton, PA → Canton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Canton, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Canton, OH to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Canton, OH | Scranton, PA | Real change, Canton → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Canton, OH | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Canton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,940 | $76,590 | $73,193 (−6.1%) |
| Software Developers | $105,500 | $119,960 | $114,639 (+8.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,170 | $70,480 | $67,354 (−6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,610 | $82,650 | $78,984 (−0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.