City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.4% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $104,400 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 13% in Toledo, 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 −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Toledo, OH ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,795 in Toledo | $104,389 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $820/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 | 19% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
82 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Toledo, OH is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Toledo, OH | Real change, Columbus → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $63,250 | $66,026 (−15.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $104,360 | $108,940 (−11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $77,400 | $80,797 (−1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $81,050 | $84,607 (+0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.