Dayton, TN Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Dayton, TN 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 Tennessee, 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 79, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Dayton is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Dayton ranks as the #1 cheapest in Tennessee out of 109.

  • Dayton ranks as the #76 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Dayton is $257,709.

  • The median income in Dayton is $56,692.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
79
Dayton's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Dayton, TN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Dayton has an overall cost of living index of 79, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Tennessee, Dayton has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Tennessee's index of 90.

The standard of living in Dayton ranks as #1 most affordable out of the 109 places we measured in Tennessee. By definition, that implies Dayton ranks as the #108 most expensive place in the Volunteer State.

For more reading on life in Dayton, check out:

1 out of 109
In Tennessee
76 out of 6,489
In America

Dayton Cost Of Living Vs. Tennessee

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 91.

  • The Groceries index in Dayton is 96.

  • The Health index in Dayton is 93.

  • The Housing index in Dayton is 57.

  • The Transportation index in Dayton is 86.

  • The Utilities index in Dayton is 94.

Living Expense Dayton Tennessee National Average
Overall 79 90 100
Services 91 93 100
Groceries 96 99 100
Health 93 87 100
Housing 57 81 100
Transportation 86 89 100
Utilities 94 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Tennessee, check out:
Dayton Cost of Living Vs. TN

Dayton, TN Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Tennessee, 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 $257,709.

  • The Median Rent in Dayton is $807.

  • The Median Income in Dayton is $56,692.

  • The Home Value To Income in Dayton is 4.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Dayton is 0.17x.

Statistic Dayton Tennessee United States
Median Home Value $257,709 $330,598 $303,400
Median Rent $807 $1,122 $1,348
Median Income $56,692 $67,097 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.5x 4.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.2x 0.21x
$257,709
Median Home Value
$807
Median Rent
$56,692
Median Income

Dayton, TN Costs By Category

Detailed Dayton Services Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Dayton Tennessee
Shampoo $1.27 $1.28
Movie $12.57 $12.13
Bowling $16.47 $18
Haircut $18.8 $24.26
Beauty Salon $48.4 $45.56

Detailed Dayton Groceries Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Dayton Tennessee
Ground Beef $5.63 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.43 $1.57
Milk $4.49 $4.67
Potatoes $5.17 $4.93
Pizza $11.66 $12.09
Beer $10.02 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.66 $3.7

Detailed Dayton Health Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Dayton Tennessee
Optometrist $112.0 $125.68
Doctor $129.61 $135.78
Dentist $96.5 $113.29

Detailed Dayton Transportation Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Dayton Tennessee
Gasoline $3.09 $3.46
Tire Balancing $50.87 $59.92

Detailed Dayton Utilities Costs Vs. Tennessee

Item Dayton Tennessee
All Electricity $170.16 $193.99
Phone $192.18 $192.25

Dayton SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
4
Affordability
7
Diversity
8
Safety
5
Amenities
8
Education
5
Commute
9

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:

  • Spring, TX has a cost of living index of 100, 1.3x Dayton.

  • Soddy-Daisy, TN has a cost of living index of 90, 1.1x Dayton.

  • Middle Valley, TN has a cost of living index of 92, 1.2x Dayton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Dayton
Spring, TX 67,103 100 1.3x
Soddy-Daisy, TN 13,117 90 1.1x
Middle Valley, TN 11,808 92 1.2x
Collegedale, TN 11,185 100 1.3x
Fort Oglethorpe, GA 10,332 86 1.1x
Signal Mountain, TN 8,861 120 1.5x
Harrison, TN 8,446 93 1.2x
Kingston, TN 6,042 89 1.1x
Fairview, GA 5,620 85 1.1x

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