City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 3.6% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $103,600 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,812 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.8% moving from Dayton, OH to Springfield, MA ($110,401 → $120,094), while prices change by +3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,632 in Springfield | $96,495 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,812/yr.
58 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,812/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Springfield, MA | Real change, Dayton → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $69,642 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $84,260 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $100,992 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $120,094 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $141,915 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $79,640 | $76,849 (−4.4%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $127,740 | $123,263 (+15.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $92,010 | $88,785 (+12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $98,410 | $94,961 (+15.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.