City comparison
Lubbock, TX vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Lubbock, TX (91.3) and Toledo, OH (91.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Lubbock, TX goes as far as $100,200 in Toledo, OH.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $990 a month in Lubbock, TX versus $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Lubbock, TX and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Toledo, OH than in Lubbock, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Lubbock, TX to Toledo, OH changes real buying power by −0.2%, purely from prices.
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (much 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
| Lubbock, TX | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.3 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,151 in Toledo | $99,849 in Lubbock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $990/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,130 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Lubbock, TX and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lubbock | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.4 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 82.8 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.3 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lubbock, TX → Toledo, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
68 Fair offer
Toledo, OH → Lubbock, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Lubbock, TX to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lubbock, TX | Toledo, OH | Real change, Lubbock → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lubbock, TX | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Lubbock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,220 | $63,250 | $63,155 (+6.6%) |
| Software Developers | $115,190 | $104,360 | $104,203 (−9.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,390 | $77,400 | $77,283 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,480 | $81,050 | $80,928 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.