Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MD
VS
Dayton, OH
🏆 Columbia leads 13 of 20 categories
Columbia
Maryland
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,537 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
106,600
Dayton
Ohio
7
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.
Columbia, MD
Pros
Households earn $83,094 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.0 pts lower (4.0%)
More college-educated — 63.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 43°F vs 36°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $458,700
Higher rents — median is $1,895/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Dayton
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Dayton, OH
Pros
Homes cost $373k less ($86,200 vs $458,700)
Rent averages $1065/mo less ($830 vs $1,895)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Columbia
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.3)
Cons
Median income trails Columbia by $83,094/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 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Median Income
$83,094
$124,537 vs $41,443/yr
Columbia
Unemployment
6.0 pp lower
4.0% vs 10.0% unemployment
Dayton
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 92.3 vs 102.7 (100 = US avg)
Dayton
Median Home Value
$373k less
$86,200 vs $458,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MD | Dayton, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.7⚠ High | 92.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $458,700⚠ High | $86,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,895⚠ High | $830 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,537 ✓ Higher | $41,443 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.6 min⚠ High | 21.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.5% ✓ Higher | 7.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 294⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 352⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 206⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | C (77) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 63.6% ✓ Higher | 19.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 86.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Howard County Public Schools | Dayton City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.7°F ✓ Warmer | 36.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer | 86.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7" | 41.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.5" | 12.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,600 | 137,305 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.8 ✓ Older | 34.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.3% ✓ Higher | 48.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% ✓ More | 20.9% |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 102.7 vs Dayton's 92.3 (US average = 100).
Dayton is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Columbia leads 13 of 20 categories. Columbia wins 13 and Dayton wins 7. 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 Columbia to Dayton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($458,700 vs $86,200 median home), income ($124,537 vs $41,443), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MD and Dayton, OH are about 393 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.