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Dayton, OH

Census place 3921000 · pop 136,579

D−42/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in OH
📍 Ohio ranks #28 of 50 states →
🏆 Cost$100,600 · top 3%
🚽 Mental21.6% · bottom 3%
💡 Did you know?

Hometown of the Wright brothers, who invented and built their first airplane here, earning it the nickname 'Birthplace of Aviation.'

Source ↗
Taxes
1.66% property · US 0.99%7.29% sales · US 7.00%2.75% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

Google Maps ↗Zillow ↗Wikipedia ↗

The breakdown — worst first

Poor mental health21.6%3

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

21.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Adult smoking20.5%5

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

20.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Poverty rate26.9%6

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

26.9% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Median household income$45,2476

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$45,247 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Adult obesity42.9%8

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

42.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Homeownership48.4%13

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

48.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Broadband access85.5%14

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

85.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Population growth (5yr)-2.8%15

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-2.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Income inequality0.4819

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.48 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Property-tax burden1.66%20

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.66% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Bachelor's degree or higher21.6%27

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

21.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.1%32

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Uninsured adults11.2%36

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

11.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Air quality (AQI)County-level43 AQI51

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

43 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level1 days62

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time20 min73

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

20 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level64/10080

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

64/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$1,216/mo88

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,216/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Housing cost$100,60097

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$100,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Not measured for Dayton: Crime, Inactive, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Dayton, OH a good place to live?
By the numbers, Dayton scores 42/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 19 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is housing cost and its weakest is poor mental health. Ohio overall ranks #28 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Dayton, OH expensive to live in?
Dayton has a median home value of $100,600 and typical rent around $1,216/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Dayton, OH?
Its weakest measured area is poor mental health (21.6%) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Dayton, OH best at?
Its strongest measured area is housing cost ($100,600) — 97/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Hometown of the Wright brothers, who invented and built their first airplane here, earning it the nickname 'Birthplace of Aviation.'

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.