Dayton, MN Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Dayton, MN 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 Minnesota, 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 118, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Dayton is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Dayton ranks as the #126 cheapest in Minnesota out of 148.

  • Dayton ranks as the #4,280 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Dayton is $505,592.

  • The median income in Dayton is $137,383.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
118
Dayton's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

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 118, 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 97.

The standard of living in Dayton ranks as #126 most affordable out of the 148 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Dayton ranks as the #22 most expensive place in the North Star State.

For more reading on life in Dayton, check out:

126 out of 148
In Minnesota
4,280 out of 6,489
In America

Dayton Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

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 95.

  • The Groceries index in Dayton is 98.

  • The Health index in Dayton is 103.

  • The Housing index in Dayton is 170.

  • The Transportation index in Dayton is 97.

  • The Utilities index in Dayton is 96.

Living Expense Dayton Minnesota National Average
Overall 118 97 100
Services 95 101 100
Groceries 98 99 100
Health 103 110 100
Housing 170 100 100
Transportation 97 95 100
Utilities 96 94 100
For more reading on cost of living around Minnesota, check out:
Dayton Cost of Living Vs. MN

Dayton, MN Housing Cost Breakdown

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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Dayton is $505,592.

  • The Median Rent in Dayton is $1,353.

  • The Median Income in Dayton is $137,383.

  • The Home Value To Income in Dayton is 3.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Dayton is 0.12x.

Statistic Dayton Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $505,592 $344,484 $303,400
Median Rent $1,353 $1,235 $1,348
Median Income $137,383 $87,556 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.7x 3.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.12x 0.17x 0.21x
$505,592
Median Home Value
$1,353
Median Rent
$137,383
Median Income

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

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

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 103, 0.9x Dayton.

  • Plymouth, MN has a cost of living index of 124, 1.1x Dayton.

  • Maple Grove, MN has a cost of living index of 118, 1.0x Dayton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Dayton
Brooklyn Park, MN 84,349 103 0.9x
Plymouth, MN 79,526 124 1.1x
Maple Grove, MN 70,539 118 1.0x
Coon Rapids, MN 63,348 103 0.9x
Minnetonka, MN 53,256 120 1.0x
Andover, MN 32,825 119 1.0x
Ramsey, MN 28,070 113 1.0x
Shoreview, MN 26,724 111 0.9x
Champlin, MN 23,450 110 0.9x
Golden Valley, MN 21,927 118 1.0x

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