City comparison
Mobile, AL vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Mobile, AL (88.1) and Youngstown, OH (87.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Mobile, AL goes as far as $99,200 in Youngstown, OH.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $919 a month in Mobile, AL versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Mobile, AL and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,767 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Mobile, AL to Youngstown, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.3% in real buying power.
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (much 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
| Mobile, AL | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.1 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,201 in Youngstown | $100,806 in Mobile |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $919/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,000 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Mobile, AL MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Mobile, AL and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Mobile | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 60.1 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 84.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 88.1 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Mobile, AL → Youngstown, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
71 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Mobile, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Mobile, AL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Mobile, AL to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Mobile, AL | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Mobile → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Mobile, AL | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Mobile dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,970 | $72,560 | $73,145 (+20.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $107,990 | $108,860 (−11.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,130 | $73,080 | $73,669 (+2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,490 | $78,680 | $79,314 (−0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.