Dayton, Ohio
Birthplace of Aviation
U.S. News (2025)
#118 Best Places to Live
Forbes (2024)
#8 Most Affordable Cities
WhereAtHome Score
76
Cout of 100
Overview
Dayton is the birthplace of the Wright Brothers and maintains strong aerospace heritage with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The city offers extremely affordable housing and a growing innovation economy. The Oregon District and downtown revitalization efforts have created new energy in the historic city.
Key Highlights
- Extremely affordable housing
- Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
- National Museum of the US Air Force
- Oregon District entertainment
- Strong healthcare and defense jobs
- University of Dayton campus
Key Metrics
2024 Presidential Election
Montgomery County (county-level results)
Source: County-level results from MIT Election Data + Science Lab. Learn more
Climate
Summer High
86°F
Winter Low
21°F
Annual Rainfall
41"
Sunny Days
178
Amenities & Infrastructure
70+ Parks
Green spaces and recreation
6 Major Hospitals
Healthcare access
3 Universities
Higher education institutions
Public Transit Available
Bus, rail, or metro service
Major Employers
Score Breakdown
6 of 6 score factors available. Missing factors are excluded and available weights are rescaled.
Median home value relative to national average (Weight: 20%)
How affordable housing is relative to local incomes (Weight: 20%)
Average commute time compared to national average (Weight: 15%)
Overall crime levels based on FBI crime statistics (Weight: 20%)
Walk Score — ease of daily errands on foot (Weight: 15%)
Median income relative to national average, adjusted for cost of living (Weight: 10%)
Location
Compare with another city
Start ComparisonLast Updated: 2026-07-01
Data sourced from U.S. Census Bureau, Zillow, FBI Crime Data Explorer, Walk Score, and Niche.
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