City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 13.1% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $113,100 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,309 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.1% moving from Dayton, OH to Minneapolis, MN ($110,401 → $116,038), while prices change by +13.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.1% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,084 in Minneapolis | $88,430 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,309/yr.
38 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,309/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Dayton → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $67,290 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $81,415 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $97,582 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $116,038 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $137,123 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $111,430 | $130,710 | $115,587 (+3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $130,920 | $115,772 (+8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $86,500 | $76,492 (−3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $103,040 | $91,118 (+10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.