City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 8.3% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $108,300 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Youngstown, OH ($110,047 → $111,138), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.4% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (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
| Pittsburgh, PA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,313 in Youngstown | $108,327 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $771/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 | 17% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
95 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Pittsburgh → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $64,448 | +9.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $77,977 | +9.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $93,461 | +9.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $111,138 | +9.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $131,331 | +9.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $72,560 | $78,602 (+2.7%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $107,990 | $116,982 (−6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $73,080 | $79,165 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $78,680 | $85,231 (+3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.