Flint, MI vs Akron, OH: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, living costs in Akron, OH and Flint, MI are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Flint works out to about $75,300 in Akron, before taxes.
- Housing is 3.7% higher in Akron, goods 0.1% lower and other services 0.6% lower, which roughly cancel out.
- Typical asking rent is $1,306 a month in Akron and $1,041 in Flint, $3,180 a year more in Akron (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $240,000 in Akron and $196,000 in Flint.
- The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Akron was 2.8% more expensive than Flint.
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Overall prices are about the same in Flint and Akron
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Flint, MI
- Akron, OH
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Flint, MI | Akron, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 93.0 | 93.4 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.6 |
| Housing (rents) | 74.0 | 76.8 |
| Utilities | 97.1 | 96.4 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.9 |
| Category | Flint | Akron | Akron vs Flint |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 93.0 | 93.4 | +0.4% |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.6 | −0.1% |
| Housing (rents) | 74.0 | 76.8 | +3.7% |
| Utilities | 97.1 | 96.4 | −0.6% |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.9 | −0.6% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,041 | $1,306 | +25.5% |
| Typical home value | $196,000 | $240,000 | +22.7% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Flint | $75,000 | $75,300 | +0.4% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Flint and Akron has narrowed since 2008: 3.5 points then, 0.3 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Flint, MI
- Akron, OH
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Flint, MI | Akron, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 96.0 | 92.5 |
| 2009 | 95.0 | 95.2 |
| 2010 | 94.7 | 93.2 |
| 2011 | 93.2 | 94.0 |
| 2012 | 93.0 | 95.5 |
| 2013 | 93.4 | 95.2 |
| 2014 | 93.2 | 94.9 |
| 2015 | 91.7 | 95.5 |
| 2016 | 90.8 | 95.2 |
| 2017 | 89.6 | 95.3 |
| 2018 | 91.8 | 94.3 |
| 2019 | 92.1 | 94.7 |
| 2020 | 89.8 | 93.5 |
| 2021 | 89.0 | 93.5 |
| 2022 | 90.9 | 92.1 |
| 2023 | 89.9 | 92.9 |
| 2024 | 93.0 | 93.4 |
Goods
- Flint, MI
- Akron, OH
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Flint, MI | Akron, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 99.9 | 90.3 |
| 2009 | 102.1 | 95.5 |
| 2010 | 100.4 | 92.4 |
| 2011 | 101.0 | 95.1 |
| 2012 | 99.5 | 98.0 |
| 2013 | 100.0 | 100.3 |
| 2014 | 99.5 | 97.4 |
| 2015 | 98.2 | 96.7 |
| 2016 | 99.1 | 94.9 |
| 2017 | 99.5 | 95.5 |
| 2018 | 97.1 | 97.3 |
| 2019 | 95.9 | 95.9 |
| 2020 | 93.7 | 93.9 |
| 2021 | 94.4 | 94.4 |
| 2022 | 92.1 | 92.3 |
| 2023 | 94.1 | 94.1 |
| 2024 | 93.7 | 93.6 |
Housing (rents)
- Flint, MI
- Akron, OH
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Flint, MI | Akron, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 79.4 | 84.9 |
| 2009 | 71.7 | 82.8 |
| 2010 | 76.4 | 80.8 |
| 2011 | 67.6 | 80.5 |
| 2012 | 72.0 | 84.1 |
| 2013 | 69.4 | 83.1 |
| 2014 | 67.2 | 77.7 |
| 2015 | 67.7 | 83.3 |
| 2016 | 65.2 | 82.3 |
| 2017 | 63.0 | 82.9 |
| 2018 | 69.4 | 81.4 |
| 2019 | 70.3 | 80.9 |
| 2020 | 64.8 | 81.8 |
| 2021 | 57.9 | 80.3 |
| 2022 | 68.6 | 76.6 |
| 2023 | 65.0 | 77.5 |
| 2024 | 74.0 | 76.8 |
Utilities
- Flint, MI
- Akron, OH
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Flint, MI | Akron, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.3 | 110.7 |
| 2009 | 107.5 | 111.0 |
| 2010 | 107.5 | 90.8 |
| 2011 | 109.3 | 90.8 |
| 2012 | 111.2 | 87.1 |
| 2013 | 112.7 | 92.6 |
| 2014 | 105.5 | 90.1 |
| 2015 | 106.7 | 93.5 |
| 2016 | 107.3 | 90.7 |
| 2017 | 108.7 | 83.9 |
| 2018 | 103.9 | 94.3 |
| 2019 | 98.6 | 90.6 |
| 2020 | 103.3 | 91.2 |
| 2021 | 104.7 | 91.9 |
| 2022 | 96.6 | 87.4 |
| 2023 | 96.4 | 88.8 |
| 2024 | 97.1 | 96.4 |
Other services
- Flint, MI
- Akron, OH
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Flint, MI | Akron, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.2 | 95.4 |
| 2009 | 99.2 | 98.3 |
| 2010 | 98.0 | 98.1 |
| 2011 | 97.4 | 98.1 |
| 2012 | 96.6 | 97.8 |
| 2013 | 97.5 | 95.9 |
| 2014 | 98.8 | 99.3 |
| 2015 | 96.6 | 98.6 |
| 2016 | 94.9 | 99.9 |
| 2017 | 93.4 | 99.8 |
| 2018 | 96.5 | 96.3 |
| 2019 | 98.6 | 98.5 |
| 2020 | 97.8 | 97.6 |
| 2021 | 97.9 | 97.5 |
| 2022 | 98.2 | 97.7 |
| 2023 | 97.7 | 97.5 |
| 2024 | 99.6 | 98.9 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,306 in Akron vs $1,041 in Flint
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Flint, MI
- Akron, OH
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Flint, MI | Akron, OH | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $562 | $723 | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | $567 | $736 | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | $586 | $735 | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | $570 | $742 | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | $581 | $739 | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | $603 | $753 | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | $599 | $754 | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | $606 | $753 | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | $608 | $767 | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | $616 | $778 | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | $618 | $776 | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | $624 | $774 | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | $634 | $785 | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | $646 | $791 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | $651 | $792 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | $645 | $796 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | $656 | $813 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | $682 | $822 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | $687 | $829 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | $673 | $825 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | $679 | $839 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | $713 | $865 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | $716 | $871 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | $734 | $885 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | $751 | $907 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | $782 | $951 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | $818 | $972 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | $824 | $985 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $844 | $1,011 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $881 | $1,057 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $879 | $1,073 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $875 | $1,087 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $857 | $1,088 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $870 | $1,131 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $894 | $1,140 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $903 | $1,144 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $922 | $1,164 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $934 | $1,185 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $969 | $1,206 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $971 | $1,203 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $964 | $1,219 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $988 | $1,229 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $989 | $1,258 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,002 | $1,246 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,006 | $1,273 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,034 | $1,295 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,041 | $1,306 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $240,000 in Akron vs $196,000 in Flint
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Flint, MI
- Akron, OH
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Flint, MI | Akron, OH | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $75K | $119K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $77K | $121K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $79K | $123K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $81K | $124K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $83K | $126K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $86K | $127K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $88K | $128K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $91K | $130K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $93K | $131K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $96K | $133K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $98K | $135K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $101K | $137K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $104K | $139K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $108K | $141K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $110K | $143K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $111K | $145K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $115K | $148K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $119K | $150K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $119K | $151K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $121K | $152K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $124K | $155K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $126K | $157K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $129K | $161K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $137K | $168K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $145K | $175K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $153K | $181K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $155K | $184K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $155K | $184K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $162K | $191K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $168K | $198K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $167K | $200K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $164K | $201K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $163K | $200K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $166K | $205K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $171K | $210K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $173K | $212K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $176K | $215K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $180K | $220K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $180K | $222K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $181K | $224K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $182K | $228K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $184K | $229K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $188K | $231K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $191K | $233K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $194K | $236K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $195K | $239K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $196K | $240K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.