City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Palm Bay, FL are 14.4% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $114,400 in Palm Bay, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Palm Bay, FL versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Palm Bay, FL and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Youngstown, OH than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.6% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Youngstown, OH ($107,228 → $111,138), while prices change by −12.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.6% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
- 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
| Palm Bay, FL | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,390 in Youngstown | $114,430 in Palm Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.4%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Palm Bay → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $64,448 | +18.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $77,977 | +18.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $93,461 | +18.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $111,138 | +18.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $131,331 | +18.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $72,560 | $83,030 (+32.8%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $107,990 | $123,573 (−6.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $73,080 | $83,625 (+10.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $78,680 | $90,034 (+11.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.