Cost of living in Dayton: rent, homes and salary
The 2024 BEA regional price parity (RPP) for the metro area of Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH is 92.7. Housing alone is 72.7, while the US is 100. The cost of living in Dayton comes in 7.3% below the US average.
- Level of prices
- 92.7US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 72.7 for rents. US = 100.
Cost of living index for Dayton
With the US average set at 100, regional price parity compares costs for an identical basket of goods and services in one place. BEA prices the whole metro area of Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH as one, and Dayton sits inside it. Housing (rents) is the item that sits furthest from the US average, at 72.7, which is 27.3% under the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH metro | Ohio | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.7 | 92.8 | −7.3% |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.7 | −6.4% |
| Housing (rents) | 72.7 | 73.0 | −27.3% |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 95.8 | −4.6% |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 | −1.1% |
Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, with regional price parities for 2024 by metro area and state. BEA price parity data
Rents in Dayton
Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) puts the typical asking rent in Dayton at $1,241 a month. It covers homes listed now and shows +3.1% on a year. Across the US the figure is $1,932. The median gross rent reported by the Census is $1,042, and it counts every renting household, not only new leases. Asking rent for a year equals 32% of the median household income.
| Rent | Dayton | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,241 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +3.1% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,042 | $1,487 |
| Asking rent for a year, as a share of median income | 32% | 28% |
One-year estimates from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024; rent data from the Zillow Observed Rent Index.
Dayton home prices
The Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) puts a value on a typical, mid-market home. For Dayton, that figure was $137,939 as of September 2026. Over a year, that is +1.0%. The US figure is $366,157. That equals 3.0 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 in the US.
| Home prices | Dayton | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $137,939 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +1.0% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +147.1% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 3.0 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 9.3 | 15.8 |
Days on market and the forecast, plus the price chart since 2000: Dayton housing market.
Salary required to live in Dayton
Two questions shape the salary you need in Dayton to buy what your pay buys today: what you earn, and where you live.
- Moving from
- Salary
Side by side, the method and every city: cost of living comparison by city.
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Dayton's cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Typical rental amount | Home value, typical figure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton | 92.7 | 72.7 | $1,241 | $137,939 |
| Columbus, Ohio | 95.5 | 87.9 | $1,471 | $243,122 |
| Cleveland, Ohio | 93.9 | 79.4 | $1,359 | $115,810 |
| Cincinnati | 95.4 | 87.6 | $1,432 | $245,743 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities 2024, with US = 100. Rents: Zillow ZORI. Home values: Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: cost of living comparison by city. All states: cost of living by state.