City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Corpus Christi, TX (92.7) and Dayton, OH (92.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX goes as far as $100,000 in Dayton, OH.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,117 a month in Corpus Christi, TX versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Corpus Christi, TX and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Dayton, OH than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.2% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Dayton, OH ($106,955 → $110,401), while prices change by +0.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.2% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,025 in Dayton | $99,975 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,009/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
69 Fair offer
Dayton, OH → Corpus Christi, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Dayton, OH is in Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Dayton, OH | Real change, Corpus Christi → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $64,021 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $77,460 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $92,841 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $110,401 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $130,461 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $80,360 | $80,340 (+33.4%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $106,910 | $106,883 (−13.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $79,030 | $79,010 (+4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $82,510 | $82,490 (−0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.