City profile · Ohio · Census ACS 2023

Dayton, OH

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Dayton - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

136,741
Residents
$43,454
Median income
$93,200
Median home
$1,273
Median rent (state)

Dayton - the verdict

Dayton ranks in the 11th percentile for household income and the 3rd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

11th
percentile, household income
7th
percentile, home value
43rd
percentile, median rent
3rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Dayton, OH

Ohio's Dayton is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 136,741 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Dayton households earn a median of $43,454 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 20.9%. Dayton's housing stock carries a median value of $93,200, and the median resident age is 34.2 years. Educational attainment runs 20.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 52.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 260 residential building permits were authorized in Dayton (Building Boom), up 9999% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Dayton's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 5673.4 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 53.9°F with 41.3 inches of precipitation per year and 25.0 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Ohio run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Ohio scores 92.8 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,273 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Ohio's average monthly utility costs around $228 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 92.7 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

136,741 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Ohio

Median Household Income

$43,454 /yr

Poverty 20.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.8 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Ohio average

How does Dayton compare to other US cities?

Where Dayton sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 11% higher than other cities
Home value 7% pricier than other cities
Median rent 43% pricier than other cities
Safety 3% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Ohio and the picture shifts: Dayton ranks #275 of 281 Ohio cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Dayton's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Ohio, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

11thIncome percentile
3rdSafety percentile

11th percentile nationally for median household income · 3rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Dayton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Dayton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 30 Avg. percentile National median
Dayton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Dayton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$93,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 93% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Dayton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Dayton, OH Dayton, OH's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Dayton, OH-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Dayton, OH median $43,454/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Dayton, OH's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Dayton, OH. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 20.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 20.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
136,741
Median Income
$43,454
Median Home Value
$93,200
Median Age
34.2
Poverty Rate
20.9%
Labor force participation
52.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
20.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
5673.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1339.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4334.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
53.9°F
Annual Precipitation
41.3"
Annual Snowfall
25.0"

Schools

Total Schools
84
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
135,500 residents136,000 residents136,500 residents137,000 residents137,500 residents138,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 137,407 residents 136,688 residents ▼ -0.5%
Dayton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
260
housing units authorized
Single-Family
62
detached homes
Multifamily
198
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 127
2021 14
2022 335
2023 287
2024 260

Permit volume increased 9999% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.2%
Carpool
9.7%
Public Transit
3.7%
Walk
5.2%
Work from Home
8.8%
Other
1.4%

Based on 56,597 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Ohio - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$78
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$228
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Ohio state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Ohio state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Dayton sits in

Cost of Living Index
92.8
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,273/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Ohio

Akron
189,526 people
Parma
80,131 people
Canton
70,105 people
Lorain
65,207 people
Hamilton
63,124 people
Youngstown
59,605 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Dayton's 136,741 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Cedar Rapids, IA
136,859 people
Pasadena, CA
136,462 people
Hampton, VA
137,334 people
Miramar, FL
135,986 people
Victorville, CA
135,983 people
Elizabeth, NJ
135,887 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Dayton's $43,454 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Marengo, IN
$43,458 median income
East Alto Bonito, TX
$43,450 median income
Fieldale, VA
$43,450 median income
Dorado zona urbana, PR
$43,460 median income
Winchester, AR
$43,462 median income
Ronceverte, WV
$43,445 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Dayton, OH Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Dayton, OH - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 51.3% 38.0% 6.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.5% White 51.3% Black or African American 38.0% Asian 1.2% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.3% Two or more races 6.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Dayton compares to nearby Ohio cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Dayton (this city) 136,741 $43,454
Akron 189,526 $48,544
Parma 80,131 $67,425
Canton 70,105 $39,754
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OH FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Dayton, OH?

What is the population of Dayton, OH? +

Dayton, OH counts 136,741 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Dayton, OH? +

Dayton households earn a median of $43,454 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Dayton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Dayton; the closest available measure is the Ohio state average, a cost of living index of 92.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Ohio vary by metro area.

Is Dayton, OH safe? +

Dayton has a total crime rate of 5673.4 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Dayton, OH? +

Dayton's median home value sits at $93,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Dayton? +

Climate normals put Dayton's yearly average temperature at 53.9°F, 41.3 inches of precipitation, and 25.0 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.