City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 2.1% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $102,100 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.3% moving from Dayton, OH to Pittsburgh, PA ($110,401 → $110,047), while prices change by +2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,133 in Pittsburgh | $97,912 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
62 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Dayton → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $63,815 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $77,211 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $92,543 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $110,047 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $130,042 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $76,550 | $74,951 (−6.7%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $124,500 | $121,900 (+14.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $76,940 | $75,333 (−4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $82,370 | $80,650 (−2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.