City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Dayton, OH (92.7) and Omaha, NE (91.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Dayton, OH goes as far as $99,200 in Omaha, NE.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,703 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Omaha, NE ($110,401 → $107,501), while prices change by −0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,155 in Omaha | $100,852 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,703/yr.
71 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,703/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Omaha, NE | Real change, Dayton → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $62,339 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $75,425 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $90,402 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $107,501 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $127,033 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $62,670 | $63,204 (−21.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $125,220 | $126,287 (+18.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $77,030 | $77,686 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $84,600 | $85,321 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.