City comparison
Stockton, CA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 20.2% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $120,200 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,395 a month in Stockton, CA versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Stockton, CA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Stockton, CA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −16.5% moving from Stockton, CA to Youngstown, OH ($133,060 → $111,138), while prices change by −16.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Stockton, CA: price level 105.1 (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
| Stockton, CA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.1 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,162 in Youngstown | $120,247 in Stockton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,395/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 | 23% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Stockton-Lodi, CA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Stockton | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.6 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 158.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.1 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Stockton, CA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.2%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Stockton, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Stockton, CA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Stockton, CA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Stockton → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $64,448 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $77,977 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $93,461 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $111,138 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $131,331 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Stockton, CA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Stockton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,400 | $72,560 | $87,252 (−10.4%) |
| Software Developers | $138,550 | $107,990 | $129,855 (−6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,570 | $73,080 | $87,877 (+5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $134,580 | $78,680 | $94,611 (−29.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.