City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 11.6% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $111,600 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,309 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Cleveland, OH to Minneapolis, MN ($111,138 → $116,038), while prices change by +11.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.4% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cleveland, OH | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,604 in Minneapolis | $89,602 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,309/yr.
38 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,309/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Cleveland → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $67,290 | −6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $81,415 | −6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $97,582 | −6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $116,038 | −6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $137,123 | −6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $79,730 | $71,440 (−6.6%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $130,920 | $117,307 (+5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $86,500 | $77,506 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $103,040 | $92,326 (+10.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.