City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 3.0% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $103,000 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, OH and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,838 a year higher in Peoria, IL than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Peoria, IL ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.4% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cleveland, OH | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,134 in Peoria | $102,951 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$2,838/yr.
78 Strong offer
Peoria, IL → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,838/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Peoria, IL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Peoria, IL | Real change, Cleveland → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $57,440 | $59,135 (−22.7%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $130,590 | $134,443 (+20.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $79,540 | $81,887 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $81,010 | $83,400 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.