City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 6.5% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $106,500 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Eugene, OR and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,953 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Eugene, OR ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by +6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.9% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,499 in Eugene | $93,898 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,953/yr.
50 Fair offer
Eugene, OR → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$5,953/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Eugene, OR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Eugene, OR | Real change, Cincinnati → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | −9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | −9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | −9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | −9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | −9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $64,260 | $60,339 (−6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $121,050 | $113,663 (−6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $79,930 | $75,052 (−6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $113,720 | $106,780 (+27.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.