City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 4.5% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $104,500 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,081 a month in Tucson, AZ versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Tucson, AZ and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $324 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.8% moving from Dayton, OH to Tucson, AZ ($110,401 → $108,455), while prices change by +4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.0% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,533 in Tucson | $95,663 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$324/yr.
55 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$324/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Dayton → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $62,893 | −6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $76,095 | −6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $91,205 | −6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $108,455 | −6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $128,162 | −6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $47,220 | $45,172 (−43.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $123,710 | $118,345 (+10.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $76,320 | $73,010 (−7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $94,110 | $90,029 (+9.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.