City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dayton, OH are 5.7% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $105,700 in Dayton, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,009 a month in Dayton, OH and $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,767 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Tuscaloosa, AL ($110,401 → $107,510), while prices change by −5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,636 in Tuscaloosa | $105,668 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
86 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Dayton, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Dayton → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $62,344 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $75,431 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $90,410 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $107,510 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $127,044 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $60,220 | $63,633 (−20.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $104,870 | $110,814 (+3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $71,690 | $75,753 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $75,250 | $79,515 (−3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.