City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 1.3% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $101,300 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH and $1,009 in Dayton, 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 Cleveland, OH to Dayton, OH ($111,138 → $110,401), while prices change by −1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.7% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- 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
| Cleveland, OH | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,691 in Dayton | $101,326 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,009/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
73 Strong offer
Dayton, OH → Cleveland, 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?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Dayton, OH is in Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Dayton, OH | Real change, Cleveland → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $64,021 | +0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $77,460 | +0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $92,841 | +0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $110,401 | +0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $130,461 | +0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $80,360 | $81,425 (+6.5%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $106,910 | $108,327 (−2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $79,030 | $80,078 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $82,510 | $83,604 (−0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.