City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Dayton, OH are 1.9% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $101,900 in Dayton, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,094 a month in Clarksville, TN versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Clarksville, TN and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Dayton, OH than in Clarksville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.7% moving from Clarksville, TN to Dayton, OH ($106,437 → $110,401), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (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
| Clarksville, TN | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,921 in Dayton | $98,115 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $1,009/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
63 Fair offer
Dayton, OH → Clarksville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
75 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Clarksville, TN 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 Clarksville, TN to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Dayton, OH | Real change, Clarksville → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,021 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,460 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,841 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,401 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,461 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $116,940 | $111,430 | $109,330 (−6.5%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $106,910 | $104,895 (+8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $79,030 | $77,541 (+6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $82,510 | $80,955 (+1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.