City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 9.1% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $109,100 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- Both are in OH, so estimated state income tax is the same: $1,968 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.2% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Youngstown, OH ($110,865 → $111,138), while prices change by −8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.4% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,637 in Youngstown | $109,126 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
97 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Cincinnati → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $64,448 | +9.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $77,977 | +9.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $93,461 | +9.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $111,138 | +9.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $131,331 | +9.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $72,560 | $79,182 (+22.3%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $107,990 | $117,846 (−2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $73,080 | $79,750 (−1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $78,680 | $85,861 (+2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.