City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dayton, OH are 1.4% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $101,400 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 $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Dayton, OH and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- Both are in OH, so estimated state income tax is the same: $1,968 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Toledo, OH ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,663 in Toledo | $101,355 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Toledo, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
73 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Toledo, OH is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Toledo, OH | Real change, Dayton → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $63,250 | $64,107 (−20.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $104,360 | $105,774 (−1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $77,400 | $78,449 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $81,050 | $82,148 (−0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.