Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Dayton, OH

    Is Dayton a good place to live?

    Watch Dayton

    Dayton ranks #46 of 62 Ohio cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (39/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.4% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $93,200
    +8.1% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $866
    per month
    Household income
    $43,454
    median
    Unemployment
    9.7%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Dayton

    The median home value in Dayton is $93,200 and median rent is $866 a month, against a median household income of $43,454. Homes cost about 2.1× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Dayton crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Ohio the 2025 rate was 288 violent and 1,471 property crimes per 100,000 people — #25 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Dayton, OH

    Dayton has about 136,741 residents, 9.7% unemployment and 13% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Dayton with

    Dayton vs ColumbusDayton vs ClevelandDayton vs CincinnatiDayton vs ToledoDayton vs AkronDayton vs ParmaDayton vs CantonDayton vs Lorain

    More: Where to move in Ohio · Best counties in Ohio

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report