City comparison
Providence, RI vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 6.0% higher than in York, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in York, PA would need about $106,000 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 17% in York, PA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,148 a year in RI and $3,070 in PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Providence, RI to York, PA ($120,548 → $121,785), while prices change by −5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.1% in real buying power.
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Providence, RI | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.8 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,328 in York | $106,014 in Providence |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,402/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (RI) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $53,680 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Providence-Warwick, RI-MA and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Providence | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.9 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 97.1 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 102.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 101.8 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Providence, RI → York, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$78/yr.
88 Strong offer
York, PA → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$78/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Providence, RI is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Providence, RI to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Providence, RI | York, PA | Real change, Providence → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $70,623 | +7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $85,447 | +7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $102,415 | +7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $121,785 | +7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $143,913 | +7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Providence, RI | York, PA | York pay in Providence dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $86,720 | $79,730 | $84,525 (−2.5%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $114,600 | $121,492 (−7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,020 | $75,160 | $79,680 (−16.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,880 | $96,210 | $101,996 (+2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.