City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 19.9% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $119,900 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Dayton, OH than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.4% moving from Dayton, OH to Seattle, WA ($110,401 → $119,630), while prices change by +19.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.6% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,892 in Seattle | $83,408 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
26 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Seattle, WA | Real change, Dayton → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $69,373 | −9.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $83,935 | −9.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $100,602 | −9.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $119,630 | −9.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $141,367 | −9.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $102,920 | $85,844 (+6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $167,280 | $139,525 (+30.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $99,370 | $82,883 (+4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $128,260 | $106,979 (+29.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.