City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dayton, OH are 6.1% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $106,100 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Dayton, OH and 12% in Youngstown, 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 +0.7% moving from Dayton, OH to Youngstown, OH ($110,401 → $111,138), while prices change by −5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.8% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,282 in Youngstown | $106,064 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $771/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% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
88 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Dayton, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Dayton → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $64,448 | +6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $77,977 | +6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $93,461 | +6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $111,138 | +6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $131,331 | +6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $72,560 | $76,960 (−4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $107,990 | $114,539 (+7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $73,080 | $77,512 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $78,680 | $83,452 (+1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.