City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lakeland, FL are 4.8% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $104,800 in Lakeland, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,230 a month in Lakeland, FL versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lakeland, FL and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Dayton, OH than in Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Lakeland, FL ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by +4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.0% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,798 in Lakeland | $95,422 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,230/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $46,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Lakeland, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
54 Fair offer
Lakeland, FL → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Lakeland, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Dayton → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | −8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | −8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | −8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | −8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | −8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $50,420 | $48,112 (−40.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $122,200 | $116,606 (+9.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $76,820 | $73,303 (−7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $84,030 | $80,183 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.