City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Greenville, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Dayton, OH (92.7) and Greenville, SC (93.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Dayton, OH goes as far as $100,600 in Greenville, SC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,221 a month in Greenville, SC versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greenville, SC and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,875 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Greenville, SC ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.2% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Greenville, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 93.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,611 in Greenville | $99,393 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,221/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $46,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Greenville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 76.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 88.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 93.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Greenville, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,875/yr.
67 Fair offer
Greenville, SC → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,875/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Greenville, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Greenville, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Greenville, SC | Real change, Dayton → Greenville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | −4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | −4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | −4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | −4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | −4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Greenville, SC | Greenville pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $60,680 | $60,312 (−24.9%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $121,790 | $121,051 (+13.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $76,870 | $76,403 (−3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $81,400 | $80,906 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.