City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Dayton, OH (92.7) and Lexington, KY (92.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Dayton, OH goes as far as $100,200 in Lexington, KY.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,079 a month in Lexington, KY versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Lexington, KY and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,415 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Lexington, KY ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,210 in Lexington | $99,790 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Lexington, KY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,415/yr.
68 Fair offer
Lexington, KY → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,415/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Lexington, KY | Real change, Dayton → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $61,460 | $61,331 (−23.7%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $123,510 | $123,251 (+15.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $77,780 | $77,617 (−1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $79,040 | $78,874 (−4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.