City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 7.7% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $107,700 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Visalia, CA versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Visalia, CA and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Dayton, OH to Visalia, CA ($110,401 → $106,973), while prices change by +7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.0% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,693 in Visalia | $92,856 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
46 Fair offer
Visalia, CA → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Visalia, CA | Real change, Dayton → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $62,033 | −10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $75,055 | −10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,959 | −10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,973 | −10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $126,410 | −10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $98,430 | $91,399 (+13.7%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $126,170 | $117,157 (+9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $79,400 | $73,728 (−6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $125,180 | $116,238 (+40.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.