City comparison
Riverside, CA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 21.8% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $121,800 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Riverside, CA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.4% moving from Riverside, CA to Youngstown, OH ($124,085 → $111,138), while prices change by −17.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.1% in real buying power.
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
- 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
| Riverside, CA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.4 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $82,105 in Youngstown | $121,796 in Riverside |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,777/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,400 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Riverside | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.3 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 101.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 101.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 106.4 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Riverside, CA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.8%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.9%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Riverside, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Riverside, CA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Riverside, CA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Riverside → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $64,448 | +9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $77,977 | +9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $93,461 | +9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $111,138 | +9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $131,331 | +9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Riverside, CA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Riverside dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,520 | $72,560 | $88,375 (−10.3%) |
| Software Developers | $133,270 | $107,990 | $131,527 (−1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,920 | $73,080 | $89,008 (+6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $133,940 | $78,680 | $95,829 (−28.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.