Moving from Dayton to Columbus
Your paycheck buys slightly less in Columbus than in Dayton (-2.9%); you'd need about $77,700 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Columbus: $77,700
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $77,700 in Columbus, OH to match $75,000 in Dayton, OH ($2,700 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in Ohio, so state income tax is the same; includes Dayton resident tax $1,875 and Columbus resident tax $1,875 (inside city limits).
Prices and housing cover the metro area; taxes use Ohio, its principal state. A metro can span several states; living in its other state can change the tax result.
Dayton vs Columbus: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,119 → $1,359/mo
- Median home value
- $228,600 → $334,800
- Median household income
- $72,711 → $82,938
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 92.7 → 95.5
- FEMA county-score mean
- Very high county-score mean (85.0 → 84.9 of 100)
Dayton vs Columbus cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Dayton, OH | Columbus, OH |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 92.7 | 95.5 |
| Median rent | $1,119 | $1,359 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $44,760 | $54,360 |
| Median home value | $228,600 | $334,800 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $1,613 | $2,273 |
| Income needed to buy | $69,150 | $97,428 |
| Median property tax | $3,208 | $4,178 |
| State income tax on $75,000 | $1,619 | $1,619 |
| City income tax (inside city limits) | $1,875 | $1,875 |
| Metro population | 821,740 | 2,225,377 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). The fixed tax rows above use an illustrative single-earner salary of $75,000, rounded from Dayton's median household income. Household income can include multiple earners; it is not a typical individual wage. Taxes use each metro's principal state, plus the income tax the principal city charges its residents. Unticking a city's box in the calculator estimates typical suburban tax for living and working outside that tax area; a nonresident city tax for work inside the city is not modeled.
- Dayton, OH: Dayton residents pay a 2.5% municipal income tax. Ohio city taxes are charged where you work as well as where you live, so anyone who works in Dayton pays 2.5% on those wages. Most suburban cities charge their own 1.5%–2.5% tax (2%–2.25% is typical; Beavercreek has none); people in unincorporated townships pay only the tax where they work. Fixed examples inside the modeled tax area include this tax; calculator totals follow your city-limit selections.
- Columbus, OH: Columbus residents pay a 2.5% municipal income tax; tax paid to another Ohio city where you work is credited. Ohio city taxes are charged where you work as well as where you live, so anyone who works in Columbus pays 2.5% on those wages. Most suburban cities charge their own 1%–2.5% tax (2% is typical); people in unincorporated townships pay only the tax where they work. Fixed examples inside the modeled tax area include this tax; calculator totals follow your city-limit selections.
Your yearly budget: Dayton vs Columbus
This fixed budget example uses $75,000, single filing and residence inside the principal city tax areas. It does not change with the calculator above.
On a $75,000 salary, taxes, gross rent including basic utilities, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $39,481 a year in Dayton and $42,361 in Columbus if you rent: $2,880 more after the move. If you buy the median home, those selected costs use mortgage, property tax, homeowners insurance and electricity instead of gross rent; they come to $47,188 and $55,106 ($7,918 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | DaytonBefore | ColumbusAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $75,000, single filer | $16,902 | $16,902 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $947 | $947 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,048 | $2,048 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $6,156 | $6,156 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent and basic utilities ACS median gross rent, 12 months | $13,428 | $16,308 | +$2,880 |
| Total if you rent | $39,481 | $42,361 | +$2,880 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 7.24% | $14,956 | $21,904 | +$6,948 |
| Property tax median home | $3,208 | $4,178 | +$970 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,198 | $1,198 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,773 | $1,773 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $47,188 | $55,106 | +$7,918 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Gross rent includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels; those basic utilities are not added again. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (7.24%, week of October 29, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2025 average residential power bill (buyers only), NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on October 29, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $13,936 a year in Dayton and $13,936 in Columbus (Child Care Aware of America, 2025 (2024 fallback for Colorado, Washington, DC and South Carolina) state averages).
Who moves from Dayton to Columbus
About 1,233 households (1,717 people) moved from the Dayton metro area to the Columbus metro area in 2022–2023, making Columbus the #2 destination for people leaving Dayton among the 149 metro areas we cover. 939 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $61,393.
Cost to move from Dayton to Columbus
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 80 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Dayton vs Columbus
RelocateMath's population-weighted means of FEMA county risk scores are 85 for the Dayton area and 84.9 for the Columbus area, on the county-score scale of 0–100. These means are not official FEMA metro ratings or national metro percentiles. Modeled expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $233 vs $265 per resident; individual properties can differ.
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Columbus cheaper than Dayton?
Overall prices in the Columbus area are 3.0% higher than in Dayton (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,359 vs $1,119 a month, and the median home is $334,800 vs $228,600.
What salary do I need in Columbus to match $100,000 in Dayton?
About $103,500 in a fixed single-filer W-2 example assuming residence inside both principal cities. It accounts for 2026 federal and principal-state taxes, modeled resident local taxes where applicable, and metro prices. Both are in Ohio, so state income tax is the same. This illustration stays fixed when calculator inputs change.
How much does it cost to move from Dayton to Columbus?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 80 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Dayton to Columbus?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,233 households (1,717 people) moved from the Dayton metro area to the Columbus metro area, and 939 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Dayton move
- Dayton to Cincinnati 2,988 households
- Chicago 174 households
- Cleveland 168 households
- Indianapolis 121 households
- Tampa 114 households
- Dallas 101 households
- San Antonio 99 households
- Atlanta 94 households
State-agency links identify the responsible tax office; they do not verify every modeled rule. Use forms and guidance for the year you are filing. Local-tax references retain their own publication or filing years. Some documents cover an earlier filing year; a source link is not a claim that every rule has just been rechecked.