City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 6.0% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $106,000 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,566 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Provo, UT ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by +6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.0% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,974 in Provo | $94,362 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,566/yr.
51 Fair offer
Provo, UT → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,566/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Provo, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Provo, UT | Real change, Dayton → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | −9.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | −9.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | −9.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | −9.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | −9.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $62,930 | $59,382 (−26.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $131,210 | $123,813 (+15.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $75,700 | $71,432 (−9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $81,780 | $77,170 (−6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.