City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 7.2% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $107,200 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,813 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Wichita, KS ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,264 in Wichita | $107,222 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $47,630 |
| 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 Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,813/yr.
91 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,813/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Wichita, KS | Real change, Cincinnati → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $58,640 | $62,875 (−2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $105,980 | $113,634 (−6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $79,270 | $84,995 (+5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $76,540 | $82,068 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.