City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 13.7% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $113,700 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Dayton, OH than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.3% moving from Anchorage, AK to Dayton, OH ($120,348 → $110,401), while prices change by −12.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- 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
| Anchorage, AK | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,928 in Dayton | $113,729 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,009/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Dayton, OH → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Dayton, OH is in Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Dayton, OH | Real change, Anchorage → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $64,021 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $77,460 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $92,841 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $110,401 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $130,461 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $80,360 | $91,393 (+15.3%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $106,910 | $121,588 (+16.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $79,030 | $89,880 (+9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $82,510 | $93,838 (−18.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.