Residential comparison · 13 facts
Cincinnati, OH vs Dayton, OH
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Cincinnati needs about $78,000 in Dayton to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Dayton, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $92,000 in Cincinnati.
A few differences
- Dayton is lower on property tax rate (1.5% vs 1.7%).
- Dayton is lower on sales tax (7.25% vs 7.8%).
- Dayton is lower on groceries index (95 vs 96).
Cincinnati vs Dayton · facet by facet
| Facet | Cincinnati, OH | Dayton, OH |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $235,000 | $100,600 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,400/mo | $929/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.7% | 1.5% |
| State & local income tax | 3.71% | 4.41% |
| Sales tax | 7.8% | 7.25% |
| Cost of living index | 91 | 73 |
| Groceries index | 96 | 95 |
| Utilities | $170/mo | $160/mo |
| Median household income | $50,000 | $45,247 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.9% |
| Crime index | 55/100 | 45/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.8/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 176 days | 175 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Cincinnati, OH · Dayton, OH
Questions & answers
- Is Cincinnati cheaper than Dayton?
- Dayton has the lower day-to-day cost index (73 vs 91 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Dayton equals $85,000 in Cincinnati?
- A household earning $85,000 in Cincinnati needs about $78,000 in Dayton to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Dayton lifestyle costs about $92,000 in Cincinnati.