City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Gulfport, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dayton, OH are 3.0% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $103,000 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 $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Dayton, OH and 15% in Gulfport, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,300 a year higher in Gulfport, MS than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Gulfport, MS ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Gulfport, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 90.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,100 in Gulfport | $102,986 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $923/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $43,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Gulfport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 67.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 76.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 90.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Gulfport, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,300/yr.
78 Strong offer
Gulfport, MS → Dayton, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,300/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Gulfport, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Gulfport, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Gulfport, MS | Real change, Dayton → Gulfport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Gulfport, MS | Gulfport pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $50,820 | $52,338 (−34.9%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $104,240 | $107,353 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $76,380 | $78,661 (−0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $78,960 | $81,318 (−1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.