City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Omaha, NE are 5.2% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $105,200 in Omaha, NE to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,703 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Omaha, NE to Youngstown, OH ($107,501 → $111,138), while prices change by −4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.7% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (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
| Omaha, NE | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,085 in Youngstown | $105,169 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,703/yr.
85 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Omaha, NE
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,703/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Omaha → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $64,448 | +8.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $77,977 | +8.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $93,461 | +8.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $111,138 | +8.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $131,331 | +8.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $72,560 | $76,310 (+21.8%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $107,990 | $113,572 (−9.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $73,080 | $76,857 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $78,680 | $82,747 (−2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.