City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 14.1% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $114,100 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,724 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.5% moving from Dayton, OH to Denver, CO ($110,401 → $118,675), while prices change by +14.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.8% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,120 in Denver | $87,627 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,754/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.4%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$1,724/yr.
33 Weak offer
Denver, CO → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,724/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Denver, CO | Real change, Dayton → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $68,819 | −5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $83,265 | −5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $99,800 | −5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $118,675 | −5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $140,239 | −5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $76,910 | $67,394 (−16.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $137,610 | $120,584 (+12.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $100,020 | $87,645 (+10.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $101,130 | $88,618 (+7.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.