City comparison
Albany, NY vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 7.4% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $107,400 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Albany, NY to Dayton, OH ($109,810 → $110,401), while prices change by −6.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,098 in Dayton | $107,414 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,009/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
92 Strong offer
Dayton, OH → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Dayton, OH is in Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Dayton, OH | Real change, Albany → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $64,021 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $77,460 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $92,841 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $110,401 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $130,461 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $80,360 | $86,318 (+8.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $106,910 | $114,836 (−10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $79,030 | $84,889 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $82,510 | $88,627 (−11.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.