$100k salary, packing up from Grand Rapids

change
Dayton, OH cityscape

instead of grand rapids

Dayton

oh · metro 808k

photo: Michael Bowman / unsplash

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$321

below Grand Rapids's monthly cost

The gap is real. Dayton costs noticeably less than Grand Rapids, every month.
landable, recorded on the dayton entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,321/mo

18% cheaper than Grand Rapids(vs $1,620/mo)

02state income tax

3.99%

$22/mo less in state tax than Grand Rapids

vs 4.25% in Grand Rapids

03after rent

$6,680/mo

$321 more than Grand Rapids

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$139k

61% cheaper than Grand Rapids

vs $353k in Grand Rapids

05metro size

808k

vs 1.2M in Grand Rapids

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

171

pleasant days a year, in dayton.

Grand Rapids only manages 151 of those.

But the calendar thins out: Grand Rapids stays 4.9× busier.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

62/100

11% higher than Grand Rapids

vs 56/100 in Grand Rapids

Closest outdoor draw: Sycamore State Park, 9.9 mi.

·walk score®

89/100

8% lower than Grand Rapids

vs 97/100 in Grand Rapids

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

16

20% fewer than Grand Rapids

vs 20 nonstops in Grand Rapids

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as dayton:

see also

akron

$62/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

toledo

$124/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

buffalo

better park access

turn the page

compare dayton with:

AkronToledoBuffalo