Dayton, KY Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Dayton, KY Summary

Cost of living in Dayton research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Dayton is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Kentucky, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Dayton is 93, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Dayton is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Dayton ranks as the #40 cheapest in Kentucky out of 84.

  • Dayton ranks as the #1,658 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Dayton is $201,165.

  • The median income in Dayton is $62,500.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
93
Dayton's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Dayton, KY?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Dayton has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Kentucky, Dayton has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Kentucky's index of 92.

The standard of living in Dayton ranks as #40 most affordable out of the 84 places we measured in Kentucky. By definition, that implies Dayton ranks as the #44 most expensive place in the Bluegrass State.

For more reading on life in Dayton, check out:

40 out of 84
In Kentucky
1,658 out of 6,489
In America

Dayton Cost Of Living Vs. Kentucky

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Dayton. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Dayton is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Dayton is 102.

  • The Health index in Dayton is 101.

  • The Housing index in Dayton is 69.

  • The Transportation index in Dayton is 103.

  • The Utilities index in Dayton is 101.

Living Expense Dayton Kentucky National Average
Overall 93 92 100
Services 100 101 100
Groceries 102 99 100
Health 101 85 100
Housing 69 71 100
Transportation 103 94 100
Utilities 101 105 100
For more reading on cost of living around Kentucky, check out:
Dayton Cost of Living Vs. KY

Dayton, KY Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Kentucky, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Dayton is $201,165.

  • The Median Rent in Dayton is $1,086.

  • The Median Income in Dayton is $62,500.

  • The Home Value To Income in Dayton is 3.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Dayton is 0.21x.

Statistic Dayton Kentucky United States
Median Home Value $201,165 $226,606 $303,400
Median Rent $1,086 $933 $1,348
Median Income $62,500 $62,417 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.2x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.18x 0.21x
$201,165
Median Home Value
$1,086
Median Rent
$62,500
Median Income

Dayton, KY Costs By Category

Detailed Dayton Services Costs Vs. Kentucky

Item Dayton Kentucky
Shampoo $1.27 $1.28
Movie $14.35 $12.13
Bowling $17.56 $18
Haircut $25.13 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.93 $45.56

Detailed Dayton Groceries Costs Vs. Kentucky

Item Dayton Kentucky
Ground Beef $5.91 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.72 $1.57
Milk $4.8 $4.67
Potatoes $5.05 $4.93
Pizza $11.92 $12.09
Beer $10.63 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.6 $3.7

Detailed Dayton Health Costs Vs. Kentucky

Item Dayton Kentucky
Optometrist $105.42 $125.68
Doctor $159.4 $135.78
Dentist $106.67 $113.29

Detailed Dayton Transportation Costs Vs. Kentucky

Item Dayton Kentucky
Gasoline $3.27 $3.46
Tire Balancing $73.09 $59.92

Detailed Dayton Utilities Costs Vs. Kentucky

Item Dayton Kentucky
All Electricity $197.1 $193.99
Phone $186.48 $192.25

Dayton SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
5
Safety
8
Amenities
8.5
Education
7
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Dayton

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Dayton. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Cincinnati, OH has a cost of living index of 94, 1.0x Dayton.

  • Mason, OH has a cost of living index of 121, 1.3x Dayton.

  • Norwood, OH has a cost of living index of 93, 1.0x Dayton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Dayton
Cincinnati, OH 309,595 94 1.0x
Mason, OH 35,148 121 1.3x
Norwood, OH 19,023 93 1.0x
Fort Thomas, KY 17,242 104 1.1x
Newport, KY 14,039 96 1.0x
Monfort Heights, OH 12,203 97 1.0x
Mack, OH 11,444 109 1.2x
Forestville, OH 11,213 107 1.2x
Montgomery, OH 10,816 128 1.4x
Madeira, OH 9,454 118 1.3x

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