City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Dallas, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dallas, TX are 8.1% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $108,100 in Dallas, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,648 a month in Dallas, TX versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Dallas, TX and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cincinnati, OH than in Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Dallas, TX ($110,865 → $115,711), while prices change by +8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.4% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Dallas, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 103.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,095 in Dallas | $92,511 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,648/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 102.8 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 90.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.7 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 103.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Dallas, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
45 Fair offer
Dallas, TX → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Dallas, TX is in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Dallas, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Dallas, TX | Real change, Cincinnati → Dallas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $67,100 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $81,186 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $97,307 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $115,711 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $136,736 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Dallas, TX | Dallas pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $65,070 | $60,197 (−7.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $133,290 | $123,308 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $82,620 | $76,433 (−5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $101,420 | $93,825 (+12.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.