City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Dayton, OH (92.7) and Waco, TX (92.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Dayton, OH goes as far as $99,800 in Waco, TX.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,009 a month in Dayton, OH and $996 in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Dayton, OH than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Waco, TX ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.4% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dayton, OH | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,845 in Waco | $100,156 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Waco, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
69 Fair offer
Waco, TX → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Waco, TX | Real change, Dayton → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $59,100 | $59,192 (−26.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $123,080 | $123,272 (+15.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $76,140 | $76,258 (−3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $92,890 | $93,035 (+12.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.