City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 4.6% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $104,600 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,119 a month in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Milwaukee, WI and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,952 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Dayton, OH to Milwaukee, WI ($110,401 → $111,310), while prices change by +4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,577 in Milwaukee | $95,623 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,952/yr.
55 Fair offer
Milwaukee, WI → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,952/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Dayton → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $64,548 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $78,098 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $93,606 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $111,310 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $131,535 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $61,480 | $58,789 (−26.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $123,730 | $118,314 (+10.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $80,290 | $76,776 (−2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $97,360 | $93,098 (+12.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.