City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 7.9% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $107,900 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,600 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.9% moving from Atlanta, GA to Dayton, OH ($112,556 → $110,401), while prices change by −7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.9% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,640 in Dayton | $107,944 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,009/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,600/yr.
94 Strong offer
Dayton, OH → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,600/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Dayton, OH is in Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Dayton, OH | Real change, Atlanta → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $64,021 | +5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $77,460 | +5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $92,841 | +5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $110,401 | +5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $130,461 | +5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $80,360 | $86,744 (+13.3%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $106,910 | $115,403 (−13.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $79,030 | $85,308 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $82,510 | $89,065 (−11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.