City comparison
Reno, NV vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 15.6% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $115,600 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Youngstown, OH than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.0% moving from Reno, NV to Youngstown, OH ($106,855 → $111,138), while prices change by −13.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +20.2% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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
| Reno, NV | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,517 in Youngstown | $115,585 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.6%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Reno → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $64,448 | +20.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $77,977 | +20.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $93,461 | +20.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $111,138 | +20.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $131,331 | +20.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $72,560 | $83,868 (+34.3%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $107,990 | $124,820 (−0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $73,080 | $84,469 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $78,680 | $90,942 (−15.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.