City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Detroit, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 8.2% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $108,200 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Detroit, MI and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,032 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.3% moving from Dayton, OH to Detroit, MI ($110,401 → $117,402), while prices change by +8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Detroit, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,203 in Detroit | $92,419 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,122/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $52,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 94.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 98.8 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.6 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,032/yr.
45 Fair offer
Detroit, MI → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,032/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Detroit, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Detroit, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Detroit, MI | Real change, Dayton → Detroit |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $68,081 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $82,372 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $98,729 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $117,402 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $138,734 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Detroit, MI | Detroit pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $65,210 | $60,266 (−25.0%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $130,760 | $120,847 (+13.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $80,650 | $74,536 (−5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $97,280 | $89,905 (+9.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.