City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Green Bay, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 2.5% higher than in Green Bay, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Green Bay, WI would need about $102,500 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH versus $931 in Green Bay, WI. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 15% in Green Bay, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,952 a year higher in Green Bay, WI than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Green Bay, WI ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Green Bay, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,605 in Green Bay | $102,454 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $931/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $49,940 |
| 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 Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Green Bay, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Green Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 74.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 90.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Green Bay, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,952/yr.
76 Strong offer
Green Bay, WI → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,952/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Green Bay, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Green Bay, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Green Bay, WI | Real change, Cincinnati → Green Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Green Bay, WI | Green Bay pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $60,600 | $62,087 (−4.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $103,160 | $105,691 (−13.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $77,720 | $79,627 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $84,700 | $86,778 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.