City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Harrisburg, PA are 7.9% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $107,900 in Harrisburg, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,212 a month in Harrisburg, PA versus $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Harrisburg, PA and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Harrisburg, PA than in Toledo, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Harrisburg, PA to Toledo, OH ($108,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (about average)
- 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
| Harrisburg, PA | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,707 in Toledo | $107,867 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
93 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Harrisburg, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Harrisburg, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Toledo, OH is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Toledo, OH | Real change, Harrisburg → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $61,722 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $74,678 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $89,508 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $106,437 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $125,776 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | $63,250 | $68,226 (−11.6%) |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | $104,360 | $112,570 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $77,400 | $83,489 (+9.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $81,050 | $87,426 (−9.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.