City comparison
Visalia, CA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 14.2% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $114,200 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Visalia, CA versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Visalia, CA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.9% moving from Visalia, CA to Youngstown, OH ($106,973 → $111,138), while prices change by −12.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.7% in real buying power.
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
- 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
| Visalia, CA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.8 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,547 in Youngstown | $114,224 in Visalia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,123/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 | 18% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,130 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Visalia, CA MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Visalia, CA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Visalia | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.1 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 156.4 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 99.8 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Visalia, CA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.2%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Visalia, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Visalia, CA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Visalia, CA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Visalia → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $64,448 | +18.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $77,977 | +18.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $93,461 | +18.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $111,138 | +18.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $131,331 | +18.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Visalia, CA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Visalia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,430 | $72,560 | $82,881 (−15.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,170 | $107,990 | $123,351 (−2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,400 | $73,080 | $83,475 (+5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,180 | $78,680 | $89,872 (−28.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.