City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 8.8% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $108,800 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,032 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.0% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Dayton, OH ($117,402 → $110,401), while prices change by −8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,885 in Dayton | $108,831 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,009/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,032/yr.
96 Strong offer
Dayton, OH → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,032/yr.
43 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Dayton, OH is in Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Dayton, OH | Real change, Ann Arbor → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $64,021 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $77,460 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $92,841 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $110,401 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $130,461 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $105,010 | $111,430 | $121,271 (+15.5%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $106,910 | $116,351 (−8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $79,030 | $86,009 (+7.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $82,510 | $89,797 (−13.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.