City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 12.3% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $112,300 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +20.5% moving from Dayton, OH to Modesto, CA ($110,401 → $133,060), while prices change by +12.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.3% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,314 in Modesto | $89,036 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,356/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
38 Weak offer
Modesto, CA → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Modesto, CA | Real change, Dayton → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $77,161 | +7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $93,358 | +7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $111,896 | +7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $133,060 | +7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $157,236 | +7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $101,640 | $90,497 (+12.6%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $119,770 | $106,639 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $83,560 | $74,399 (−5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $132,590 | $118,053 (+43.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.