

Dayton vs Springfield
$82/mo less in Springfield
DaytonSpringfieldAbout 20 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Springfield costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,461/mo in Springfield. $2,543/mo in Dayton. −$984 a year.
Dayton
$2,543
left each month
Springfield
$2,461
−$82 vs Dayton
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 875 households moved Dayton → Springfield (avg AGI $52,409). 987 went the other way. The whole move →
−$82 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Dayton | Springfield | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,167 | $6,801 | −$366 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,707 | $1,581 | −$126 |
| Take-home pay | $5,460 | $5,220 | −$240 |
| Rent | $1,018 | $829 | −$189 |
| Getting around | $540 | $571 | +$31 |
| Groceries | $375 | $375 | $0 |
| Healthcare | $422 | $422 | $0 |
| Utilities | $234 | $234 | $0 |
| Everything else | $328 | $328 | $0 |
| Left over | $2,543 | $2,461 | −$82 |
Salary to match Dayton
$83,000
Gross pay in Springfield that leaves the same amount as $86,000 in Dayton.
Tax difference
+$208
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 23.8% in Dayton, 23.2% in Springfield.
More about Springfield
Dayton, OH in full
State income tax topping out at 3.5%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,212 and 190 sunny days; commutes average 22 minutes.
Springfield, OH in full
State income tax topping out at 3.5%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $987 and 188 sunny days; commutes average 23 minutes.
The other way
Start in Springfield.
Springfield → Dayton →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Springfield than Dayton?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Springfield leaves about $82 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,018 in Dayton and $829 in Springfield.
Does Springfield have state income tax?
Springfield is in Ohio, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 2.00%.
What changes if you move from Dayton to Springfield?
The paycheck is taxed in Ohio. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Dayton and Springfield changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.