City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 3.0% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $103,000 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- Both are in OH, so estimated state income tax is the same: $1,968 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.6% moving from Columbus, OH to Dayton, OH ($111,065 → $110,401), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.4% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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, OH | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,093 in Dayton | $102,994 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,009/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
78 Strong offer
Dayton, OH → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Dayton, OH is in Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Dayton, OH | Real change, Columbus → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $64,021 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $77,460 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $92,841 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $110,401 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $130,461 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $80,360 | $82,766 (+5.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $106,910 | $110,111 (−10.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $79,030 | $81,396 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $82,510 | $84,980 (+1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.