City comparison
Savannah, GA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 8.9% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $108,900 in Savannah, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,600 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Savannah, GA to Youngstown, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.8% in real buying power.
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (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
| Savannah, GA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,795 in Youngstown | $108,939 in Savannah |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,533/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,240 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Savannah, GA MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Savannah, GA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Savannah | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.0 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Savannah, GA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,600/yr.
97 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,600/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Savannah, GA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Savannah, GA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Savannah, GA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Savannah → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +13.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +13.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +13.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +13.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +13.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Savannah, GA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Savannah dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,710 | $72,560 | $79,046 (+24.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,220 | $107,990 | $117,643 (−4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $73,080 | $79,612 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,760 | $78,680 | $85,713 (−1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.