Communities · Montgomery County
Dayton, Ohio
The core of the metro, from the Oregon District to the river.
Community guide
Life in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the hub the other communities on this page sit around. Downtown Dayton mixes high-rises and loft conversions. The Oregon District brings 19th-century brick rowhouses turned restaurants and bars. Wright-Dunbar carries the city's aviation history. Residential Dayton runs from the Historic Inner East to Belmont, and age, size, and price change block to block.
RiverScape MetroPark and the Five Rivers MetroParks trail network follow the Great Miami, Stillwater, and Mad Rivers through downtown Dayton. The Dayton Dragons' ballpark, the Dayton Art Institute, and the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery all sit within a few miles of each other.
Local highlights
What makes Dayton great
The Oregon District
Brick-street entertainment district with restaurants, bars, and a National Register historic designation.
RiverScape MetroPark
Riverfront park downtown with a splash pad, ice rink in winter, and the start of the regional bike trail network.
Wright-Dunbar Historic District
The Wright Cycle Company site and Paul Laurence Dunbar House, a few blocks from downtown Dayton.
Where to go
Favorite spots in Dayton
Favorite things to do
RiverScape MetroPark
Riverfront trails, a splash pad in summer, and an outdoor ice rink in winter.
Dayton Dragons at Day Air Ballpark
Minor league baseball downtown, part of the Cincinnati Reds organization.
Dayton Art Institute
The city's fine arts museum, overlooking the Great Miami River.
Favorite restaurants
Wheat Penny Oven and Bar
Artisanal pizza and craft cocktails in the Oregon District.
Lily's Dayton
An elevated, casual global menu with a tiki-inspired bar program, also in the Oregon District.
Market data
Dayton by the numbers
Dayton's housing stock spans more than a century in a single city. Pre-1930s brick and craftsman homes fill the historic core, postwar bungalows sit in the neighborhoods further out, and downtown Dayton keeps adding loft and condo conversions. Age, size, and price vary more block to block here than anywhere else on this list.
County
Montgomery County
School district
Dayton Public Schools, or a suburban district depending on the specific street
Effective property tax rate
about 2.16%
Typical home value
around $110,000 citywide average
Commute to downtown Dayton
you're already there
Commute to Wright-Patterson AFB
about 15 to 20 minutes
Dayton's citywide average sits well below the region's, but that single number hides a wide range. A renovated house in the Historic Inner East or a new condo downtown can run several times the average. A starter home in another pocket of Dayton can come in well under it. This is the one community on this list where the address, not just the city name, drives the number. Ask me for the specific Dayton neighborhood and I'll pull comparable sales.
Ask Jenna
Questions people ask about Dayton
Is Dayton a good place to live?+
That is worth checking yourself rather than taking anyone's word for it, mine included. The Montgomery, Greene, Warren, and Miami County sheriff and police departments each publish incident maps for their own jurisdiction. Drive Dayton at the time of day you would actually be commuting or coming home. Visit the specific block in person, since character changes street to street everywhere. I can pull the tax history, school district boundary, and flood zone on any address you are looking at, and I will always tell you what the data says, not what sounds good.
What is the property tax rate in Dayton, Ohio?+
The effective rate across Dayton's zip codes averages around 2.16%, but Dayton spans several school districts and both city and township jurisdictions. The actual mills on a specific parcel can vary more here than anywhere else on this list. I'll pull the exact number for any address.
What does $250,000 buy in Dayton?+
Well above the citywide average, so $250,000 in Dayton typically buys more house, a larger lot, or a more finished renovation than the same budget in most surrounding suburbs. The tradeoff: neighborhood character varies block to block in Dayton, so it's worth seeing the specific street in person before deciding.
How far is Dayton from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base?+
About 15 to 20 minutes from most parts of Dayton, depending on which side of downtown you're on.
Curious what your money buys in Dayton?
Tell me your budget and I'll send you the current numbers: listings, monthly payment, taxes. No obligation.
Let's talk