City comparison
Boston, MA vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 16.8% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $116,800 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,812 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.4% moving from Boston, MA to Dayton, OH ($120,548 → $110,401), while prices change by −14.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.0% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,617 in Dayton | $116,799 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,009/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,812/yr.
100 Strong offer
Dayton, OH → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.4%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$2,812/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Dayton, OH is in Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Dayton, OH | Real change, Boston → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,021 | +7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $77,460 | +7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $92,841 | +7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $110,401 | +7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $130,461 | +7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $80,360 | $93,860 (−4.3%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $106,910 | $124,870 (−24.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $79,030 | $92,307 (−7.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $82,510 | $96,371 (−9.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.