City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 3.2% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $103,200 in Indianapolis, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $953 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.7% moving from Dayton, OH to Indianapolis, IN ($110,401 → $107,428), while prices change by +3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.7% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,239 in Indianapolis | $96,863 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$953/yr.
59 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$953/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Dayton → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $62,297 | −5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $75,374 | −5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $90,341 | −5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $107,428 | −5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $126,947 | −5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $60,510 | $58,612 (−27.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $106,870 | $103,517 (−3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $79,290 | $76,803 (−2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $84,230 | $81,588 (−1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.