City comparison
San Luis Obispo, CA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Luis Obispo, CA are 24.3% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $124,300 in San Luis Obispo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,914 a month in San Luis Obispo, CA versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 31% of take-home pay in San Luis Obispo, CA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in San Luis Obispo, CA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.4% moving from San Luis Obispo, CA to Youngstown, OH ($124,085 → $111,138), while prices change by −19.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.3% in real buying power.
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (much 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
| San Luis Obispo, CA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.6 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $80,476 in Youngstown | $124,260 in San Luis Obispo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,914/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 | 31% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,770 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Luis Obispo | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 144.4 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 147.8 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 108.6 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Luis Obispo, CA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +24.3%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −19.5%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
29 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Luis Obispo, 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 San Luis Obispo, CA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, San Luis Obispo → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $64,448 | +11.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $77,977 | +11.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $93,461 | +11.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $111,138 | +11.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $131,331 | +11.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in San Luis Obispo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,620 | $72,560 | $90,163 (−7.6%) |
| Software Developers | $135,020 | $107,990 | $134,189 (−0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,160 | $73,080 | $90,809 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $138,820 | $78,680 | $97,768 (−29.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.