City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Dayton, OH (92.7) and Scranton, PA (93.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Dayton, OH goes as far as $100,900 in Scranton, PA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,009 a month in Dayton, OH and $1,028 in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Scranton, PA than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Scranton, PA ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.5% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,930 in Scranton | $99,079 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,028/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Scranton, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
66 Fair offer
Scranton, PA → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Scranton, PA | Real change, Dayton → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | −4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | −4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | −4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | −4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | −4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $76,590 | $75,884 (−5.6%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $119,960 | $118,855 (+11.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $70,480 | $69,831 (−11.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $82,650 | $81,888 (−0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.