City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dayton, OH are 4.6% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $104,600 in Dayton, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,009 a month in Dayton, OH versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Dayton, OH and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,795 a year higher in Springfield, MO than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Springfield, MO ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.9% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,567 in Springfield | $104,638 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,795/yr.
83 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Dayton, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,795/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Springfield, MO is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Springfield, MO | Real change, Dayton → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $49,380 | $51,670 (−35.7%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $102,350 | $107,097 (+0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $73,020 | $76,407 (−3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $79,370 | $83,052 (+0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.