City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Dayton, OH (92.7) and Kansas City, MO (92.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Dayton, OH goes as far as $99,800 in Kansas City, MO.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,795 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Dayton, OH to Kansas City, MO ($110,401 → $108,173), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,837 in Kansas City | $100,163 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Kansas City, MO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,795/yr.
69 Fair offer
Kansas City, MO → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,795/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Dayton → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $62,729 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $75,897 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $90,968 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $108,173 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $127,829 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $61,060 | $61,160 (−23.9%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $124,990 | $125,194 (+17.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $80,040 | $80,171 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $83,040 | $83,175 (+0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.