City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dayton, OH are 3.9% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $103,900 in Dayton, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,009 a month in Dayton, OH and $987 in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,987 a year higher in Tulsa, OK than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Tulsa, OK ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Tulsa, OK: price level 89.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,246 in Tulsa | $103,901 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,987/yr.
81 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Dayton, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,987/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Dayton → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $48,220 | $50,101 (−37.7%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $108,730 | $112,971 (+5.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $81,320 | $84,492 (+6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $84,790 | $88,097 (+6.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.