City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dayton, OH are 2.1% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $102,100 in Dayton, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Baton Rouge, LA and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $646 a year higher in Baton Rouge, LA than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.7% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Dayton, OH ($106,437 → $110,401), while prices change by +2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.6% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Baton Rouge, LA | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,108 in Dayton | $97,935 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,009/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Dayton, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$646/yr.
62 Fair offer
Dayton, OH → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$646/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Dayton, OH is in Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Dayton, OH | Real change, Baton Rouge → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,021 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,460 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,841 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,401 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,461 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $80,360 | $78,701 (+32.7%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $106,910 | $104,702 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $79,030 | $77,398 (+5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $82,510 | $80,806 (−0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.