City comparison
Dayton, OH vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in St. Louis, MO are 2.6% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $102,600 in St. Louis, MO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,009 a month in Dayton, OH and $995 in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,795 a year higher in St. Louis, MO than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Dayton, OH to St. Louis, MO ($110,401 → $109,137), while prices change by +2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,583 in St. Louis | $97,482 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → St. Louis, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,795/yr.
61 Fair offer
St. Louis, MO → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,795/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Dayton → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $63,288 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $76,573 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $91,779 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $109,137 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $128,967 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $60,650 | $59,123 (−26.4%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $129,030 | $125,781 (+17.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $78,880 | $76,894 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $83,180 | $81,086 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.