City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Lubbock, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dayton, OH are 1.5% higher than in Lubbock, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Lubbock, TX would need about $101,500 in Dayton, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,009 a month in Dayton, OH and $990 in Lubbock, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Dayton, OH than in Lubbock, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Lubbock, TX ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Lubbock, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 91.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,514 in Lubbock | $101,508 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $990/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $42,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Lubbock, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Lubbock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 76.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 82.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 91.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Lubbock, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
73 Strong offer
Lubbock, TX → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Lubbock, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Lubbock, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Lubbock, TX | Real change, Dayton → Lubbock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Lubbock, TX | Lubbock pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $59,220 | $60,113 (−25.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $115,190 | $116,927 (+9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $74,390 | $75,512 (−4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $81,480 | $82,709 (+0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.