City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, GA are 2.2% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $102,200 in Columbus, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $939 a month in Columbus, GA versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Columbus, GA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,600 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.3% moving from Columbus, GA to Youngstown, OH ($112,556 → $111,138), while prices change by −2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much 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
| Columbus, GA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,870 in Youngstown | $102,176 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,600/yr.
76 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Columbus, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,600/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Columbus → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $64,448 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $77,977 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $93,461 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $111,138 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $131,331 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $72,560 | $74,139 (+20.8%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $107,990 | $110,340 (−5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $73,080 | $74,670 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $78,680 | $80,392 (−2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.