Dayton, MN Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Dayton. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Dayton compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Dayton, Minnesota

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 Minnesota, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

123 Cost of living index 1.2x higher vs US
#135 Cheapest in Minnesota (of 151)
#4,534 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$509,218 Median home value
$1,651 Median rent
$148,947 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Dayton, MN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Dayton has an overall cost of living index of 123, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Minnesota, Dayton has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Minnesota's index of 101.

The standard of living in Dayton ranks as #135 most affordable out of the 151 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Dayton ranks as the #16 most expensive place in the North Star State.

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Dayton Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

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

  • The Services index in Dayton is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Dayton is 103.

  • The Health index in Dayton is 173.

  • The Housing index in Dayton is 96.

  • The Transportation index in Dayton is 104.

  • The Utilities index in Dayton is 104.

Living Expense Dayton Minnesota National Average
Overall 123 101 100
Services 102 101 100
Groceries 103 99 100
Health 173 99 100
Housing 96 101 100
Transportation 104 103 100
Utilities 104 101 100

Dayton Cost Of Living Compared To Minnesota Averages

Services
Dayton 102
Minnesota avg 101
Groceries
Dayton 103
Minnesota avg 99
Health
Dayton 173
Minnesota avg 99
Housing
Dayton 96
Minnesota avg 101
Transportation
Dayton 104
Minnesota avg 103
Utilities
Dayton 104
Minnesota avg 101

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Minnesota, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Dayton, MN Housing Cost Breakdown

$509,218Median Home Value
$1,651Median Rent
$148,947Median Income

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Minnesota, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Dayton is $509,218.

  • The Median Rent in Dayton is $1,651.

  • The Median Income in Dayton is $148,947.

  • The Home Value To Income in Dayton is 3.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Dayton is 0.13x.

Statistic Dayton Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $509,218 $346,667 $332,700
Median Rent $1,651 $1,280 $1,413
Median Income $148,947 $89,062 $80,734
Home Value To Income 3.4x 3.9x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.13x 0.17x 0.21x

Dayton, MN Costs By Category

Detailed Dayton Services costs vs. Minnesota
Item Dayton Minnesota
Shampoo $1.5 $1.28
Movie $11.32 $12.13
Bowling $25.68 $18
Haircut $25.86 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.0 $45.56
Detailed Dayton Groceries costs vs. Minnesota
Item Dayton Minnesota
Ground Beef $5.75 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.6 $4.67
Potatoes $4.76 $4.93
Pizza $13.0 $12.09
Beer $9.44 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.62 $3.7
Detailed Dayton Health costs vs. Minnesota
Item Dayton Minnesota
Optometrist $112.72 $125.68
Doctor $164.15 $135.78
Dentist $95.01 $113.29
Detailed Dayton Transportation costs vs. Minnesota
Item Dayton Minnesota
Gasoline $3.32 $3.46
Tire Balancing $59.91 $59.92
Detailed Dayton Utilities costs vs. Minnesota
Item Dayton Minnesota
All Electricity $180.11 $193.99
Phone $187.59 $192.25

Dayton SnackAbility

6Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 9/10
Housing 8.5/10
Affordability 8.5/10
Diversity 8/10
Safety 8.5/10
Amenities 6/10
Education 8.5/10
Commute 6/10

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:

  • Brooklyn Park, MN has a cost of living index of 108, 0.9x Dayton.

  • Plymouth, MN has a cost of living index of 124, 1.0x Dayton.

  • Maple Grove, MN has a cost of living index of 117, 1.0x Dayton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Dayton
Brooklyn Park, MN 83,876 108 0.9x
Plymouth, MN 79,220 124 1.0x
Maple Grove, MN 71,173 117 1.0x
Coon Rapids, MN 63,468 106 0.9x
Minnetonka, MN 53,064 127 1.0x
Andover, MN 33,035 122 1.0x
Ramsey, MN 28,421 116 0.9x
Shoreview, MN 26,714 116 0.9x
Champlin, MN 23,294 111 0.9x
Golden Valley, MN 21,725 122 1.0x