City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Dayton, OH (92.7) and Huntsville, AL (93.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Dayton, OH goes as far as $100,400 in Huntsville, AL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Huntsville, AL and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,767 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Dayton, OH to Huntsville, AL ($110,401 → $110,847), while prices change by +0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.0% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,408 in Huntsville | $99,594 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Huntsville, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
67 Fair offer
Huntsville, AL → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Dayton → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $64,279 | −0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $77,772 | −0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $93,216 | −0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $110,847 | −0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $130,987 | −0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $62,250 | $61,997 (−22.9%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $128,080 | $127,560 (+19.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $79,220 | $78,898 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $77,090 | $76,777 (−6.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.