City comparison
South Bend, IN vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in South Bend, IN are 1.5% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $101,500 in South Bend, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,105 a month in South Bend, IN versus $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in South Bend, IN and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $953 a year higher in South Bend, IN than in Toledo, OH.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from South Bend, IN to Toledo, OH changes real buying power by +1.5%, purely from prices.
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| South Bend, IN | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,489 in Toledo | $101,534 in South Bend |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,105/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,540 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | South Bend | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.6 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 87.7 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 99.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
South Bend, IN → Toledo, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$953/yr.
74 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → South Bend, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$953/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from South Bend, IN to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | South Bend, IN | Toledo, OH | Real change, South Bend → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | South Bend, IN | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in South Bend dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,180 | $63,250 | $64,220 (+10.4%) |
| Software Developers | $95,500 | $104,360 | $105,961 (+11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,940 | $77,400 | $78,587 (+0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,540 | $81,050 | $82,293 (−12.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.