City comparison
Durham, NC vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 11.6% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $111,600 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.0% moving from Durham, NC to Youngstown, OH ($111,147 → $111,138), while prices change by −10.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.6% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,569 in Youngstown | $111,646 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Durham → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $64,448 | +11.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $77,977 | +11.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $93,461 | +11.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $111,138 | +11.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $131,331 | +11.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $72,560 | $81,010 (+57.6%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $107,990 | $120,567 (−11.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $73,080 | $81,591 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $78,680 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.