City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 1.0% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $101,000 in Columbia, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,875 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.7% moving from Columbia, SC to Dayton, OH ($106,437 → $110,401), while prices change by −1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.8% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (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
| Columbia, SC | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,966 in Dayton | $101,044 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,009/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,875/yr.
72 Strong offer
Dayton, OH → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$2,875/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Dayton, OH is in Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Dayton, OH | Real change, Columbia → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,021 | +4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,460 | +4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,841 | +4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,401 | +4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,461 | +4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $80,360 | $81,199 (+35.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $106,910 | $108,026 (−12.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $79,030 | $79,855 (+15.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $82,510 | $83,372 (+1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.