Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Allen, TX
VS
Dayton, OH
🏆 Allen leads 17 of 23 categories
Allen
Texas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,259 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
28 ✓ Safer
Population
105,444
Dayton
Ohio
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$41,443
Violent Crime Index
352⚠ High
Population
137,305 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Allen, TX
Pros
Households earn $79,816 more per year on average
92% less violent crime than Dayton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.7 pts lower (4.3%)
More college-educated — 55.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (106.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 56°F vs 36°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $390,200
Higher rents — median is $1,747/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Dayton
Dayton, OH
Pros
Homes cost $304k less ($86,200 vs $390,200)
Rent averages $917/mo less ($830 vs $1,747)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Allen
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.3)
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 95°F
Cons
Median income trails Allen by $79,816/yr
Violent crime (1339.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4334.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (10.0% vs 4.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Allen
Median Income
$79,816
$121,259 vs $41,443/yr
Allen
Violent Crime
92% lower
106.4 vs 1339.2 per 100k
Allen
Unemployment
5.7 pp lower
4.3% vs 10.0% unemployment
Allen
Summer Heat
8.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.0°F vs 86.7°F
Dayton
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 92.3 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Dayton
Median Home Value
$304k less
$86,200 vs $390,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Allen, TX | Dayton, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 92.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $390,200⚠ High | $86,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,747⚠ High | $830 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,259 ✓ Higher | $41,443 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min | 21.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.4% ✓ Higher | 7.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 294⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 28 ✓ Safer | 352⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 206⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | C (77) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.2% ✓ Higher | 19.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.8% ✓ Higher | 86.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALLEN ISD | Dayton City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.5°F ✓ Warmer | 36.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer | 86.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.8" ✓ Drier | 41.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" ✓ Less | 12.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,444 | 137,305 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.8 ✓ Older | 34.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 48.4% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% ✓ More | 20.9% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Allen's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Dayton's 92.3 (US average = 100).
Dayton is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Allen leads 17 of 23 categories. Allen wins 17 and Dayton wins 6. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Allen to Dayton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($390,200 vs $86,200 median home), income ($121,259 vs $41,443), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Allen, TX and Dayton, OH are about 831 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.