City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 16.9% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $116,900 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.9% moving from Fresno, CA to Youngstown, OH ($106,973 → $111,138), while prices change by −14.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +21.4% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Fresno, CA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,548 in Youngstown | $116,894 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Fresno → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $64,448 | +21.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $77,977 | +21.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $93,461 | +21.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $111,138 | +21.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $131,331 | +21.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $72,560 | $84,818 (+7.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $107,990 | $126,233 (−2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $73,080 | $85,426 (+8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $78,680 | $91,972 (−26.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.