City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 9.8% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $109,800 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,181 a year higher in Providence, RI than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.2% moving from Dayton, OH to Providence, RI ($110,401 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,795 in Providence | $91,079 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,181/yr.
41 Weak offer
Providence, RI → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,181/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Providence, RI | Real change, Dayton → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $69,905 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $84,579 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $101,375 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $120,548 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $142,452 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $86,720 | $78,984 (−1.7%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $130,690 | $119,031 (+11.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $95,020 | $86,543 (+9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $99,880 | $90,970 (+10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.