Dayton OH
Ohio · Pop. 136,579
Dayton, OH: median household income of $45,247, median rent of $918/mo, 9.0% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$45,247
per year
Median Rent
$918
per month
Median Home
$101k
home value
Unemployment
9.0%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
26.9%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
20 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Dayton, OH Reality Check"
In Dayton, the rent-to-income burden runs around 24% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $45,247 and median rent is $918/month. 49% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $100,600 — that's 2.2× the median income. Employment picture: 8.99% unemployment — a softer job market. Poverty rate: 26.9% — well above the national average. The headline economic numbers hide a bifurcated city. Average commute: 20 minutes — mercifully short. Dayton was founded in 1796 — that's 230 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 56.5 sq miles at 2,417 people/sq mile — spread out. Elevation: 738 ft — modest elevation. Dayton has 5 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 61/100 — It Depends.