City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dayton, OH are 3.8% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $103,800 in Dayton, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,009 a month in Dayton, OH versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Dayton, OH and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,600 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.9% moving from Columbus, GA to Dayton, OH ($112,556 → $110,401), while prices change by +3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (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
| Columbus, GA | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,805 in Dayton | $96,334 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,009/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Dayton, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,600/yr.
57 Fair offer
Dayton, OH → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,600/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Dayton, OH is in Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Dayton, OH | Real change, Columbus → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $64,021 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $77,460 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $92,841 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $110,401 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $130,461 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $80,360 | $77,414 (+26.2%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $106,910 | $102,991 (−11.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $79,030 | $76,133 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $82,510 | $79,485 (−3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.