City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Knoxville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Dayton, OH (92.7) and Knoxville, TN (92.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Dayton, OH goes as far as $99,900 in Knoxville, TN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Dayton, OH than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Knoxville, TN ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.5% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,865 in Knoxville | $100,135 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,184/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $47,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Knoxville, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 82.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 71.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Knoxville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
69 Fair offer
Knoxville, TN → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Knoxville, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Knoxville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Knoxville, TN | Real change, Dayton → Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | −3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | −3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | −3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | −3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | −3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $61,980 | $62,064 (−22.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $121,750 | $121,914 (+14.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $75,380 | $75,482 (−4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $77,240 | $77,344 (−6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.