AreaScoop
Dayton, OH

Photo: Wikipedia

Dayton, OH

Find The Best Places To Live
in Dayton

PRO TIP! You can paste a Zillow or Redfin link.

Demographics

Majority WhiteSimpson's Diversity Index: 60
Population136,741
Foreign Born3.1%
Population Density2,451people per mi²
Median Age34.2 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
StableSince 2010, this city has held a relatively stable population and racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A-
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

58/100

42% below national average

A+

The Real Cost of Living in Dayton, Ohio

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $14k$26k
Comfortable $23k$34k
Luxury $78k+$122k+
Elite (Top 5%) $98k+$151k+
Affordability Ratio

130%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean88%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
40
Positive
40
Poor
10
Negative
4

Groceries

5 within 10 miles

2.7mi

Gas

20 within 10 miles

0.7mi

Hospital

20 within 20 miles

0.8mi

Airport

John Glenn Columbus International Airport

71mi

Post Office

USPS — Dayton, OH

1.4mi

Critical Amenities

Golf6Nearest 2.3 mi
Camping19Nearest 6 mi
Marina0 
Winery0Nearest 14.8 mi
Ice Rink0 
Gun Range2Nearest 7.5 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
D-
Soft

A below-average socioeconomic profile. Incomes, home values, and educational attainment trail the U.S., with higher poverty and unemployment.

Median HHI
$43k+4.9%
42% below US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$320k
51% below US avg
College Educated
20.7%
41% below US avg
WFH
8.8%
38% below US avg
Homeownership
48.2%
26% below US avg
Median Home
$93k
67% below US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
B-
Safe

Generally safer than 56% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
15.8
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−17.0%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−16.7%
Homicide*
0.04 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Robbery*
0.38 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Aggravated Assault*
1.74 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg

Property Crime

5yr−17.3%
Burglary*
1.75 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Larceny-Theft*
9.70 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft*
1.75 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025* = State-level data substituted where local agency has not published figures

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+3Tilts Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Dayton, Ohio
Dem Rep
40%50%60%2000200420082012201620202024

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
B+
Self-Reliant

Viable for self-reliance. Generally workable, though some barriers may limit total independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
C+
Weak10.0% of income
Property Rights
C
FairIJ Grade C
Firearm Rights
B-
GoodFPC Grade B-
Homeschooling
A-
GoodLow regulation

Energy independence: Importer (40% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
F
ProhibitedIllegal
Gambling Laws
A
Broadly OpenCasinos · Poker · Sportsbetting
Marijuana Laws
A+
Fully LegalRecreational

Homesteading

Growing Season198 days261 frost-free
Annual Rainfall45.5"
Elevation738 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
C-
Exposed

Meaningful friction. Expect exposure to either population pressure, blast zones, or natural disaster risk. Consider buying a retreat property.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
C
Weak541 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
D-
Poor2,451/sq mi
Fallout Danger
C-
Weak7 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
F
PoorInland Flooding, Cold Wave, Tornado, Earthquake, Strong Wind
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 240 mi · coast 466 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$119.2M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CityCincinnati309k people are 50 mi away
Nearest Major AirportNo hub airport within 50 mi
Distance to State Capital65 miColumbus, OH
Nearest Prison4.7 mi4 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-21T18:42:13.000Z

What your realtor won't tell you!

Find the best place to live

Go beyond the listing to get the inside scoop on any home in the US.

PRO TIP! You can paste a Zillow or Redfin link.