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Ohio city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Dayton?

What it costs to live in Dayton, and how it compares with other Ohio cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

44

88th best value in Ohio

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Ohio cities.

Overall livability

31

103rd overall in Ohio

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Dayton is home to about 138,416 people. A typical home runs $73,300 and a household earns around $37,500, a price-to-income ratio of 1.9. Among Ohio's largest cities, it ranks 88th for value and 103rd overall.

Dayton at a glance

Median home price

$73,300

10th in OH of 121

Median rent

$766/mo

Median household income

$37,500

Home price to income

1.9x

Unemployment

10.2%

114th in OH of 121

School rating

1/10

114th in OH of 121

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in OH of 121

Walk score

16/100

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‹ See all top Ohio cities ranked  ยท  Ohio state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Ohio only. Updated 2026.