Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbus, OH
VS
Dayton, OH
🏆 Columbus leads 13 of 23 categories
Columbus
Ohio
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.5
Median Household Income
$62,994 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
114⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
902,449 ✓ Larger
Dayton
Ohio
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$41,443
Violent Crime Index
352⚠ High
Population
137,305
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbus, OH
Pros
68% less violent crime than Dayton
Households earn $21,551 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.8 pts lower (5.2%)
More college-educated — 38.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.5)
Smaller class sizes — 15.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Property crime (2653.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Dayton
Dayton, OH
Pros
Homes cost $126k less ($86,200 vs $212,500)
Rent averages $331/mo less ($830 vs $1,161)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.3)
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Columbus
Cons
Median income trails Columbus by $21,551/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 5.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbus
Median Income
$21,551
$62,994 vs $41,443/yr
Columbus
Violent Crime
68% lower
434.9 vs 1339.2 per 100k
Columbus
Unemployment
4.8 pp lower
5.2% vs 10.0% unemployment
Dayton
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 92.3 vs 94.5 (100 = US avg)
Dayton
Median Home Value
$126k less
$86,200 vs $212,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbus, OH | Dayton, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.5 | 92.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $212,500 | $86,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,161 | $830 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,994 ✓ Higher | $41,443 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.0 min | 21.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.8% ✓ Higher | 7.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer | 294⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High ✓ Safer | 352⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer | 206⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | C (77) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.3% ✓ Higher | 19.6% |
| High School or Higher | 90.3% ✓ Higher | 86.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Columbus City Schools District | Dayton City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.5°F ✓ Warmer | 36.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.0°F | 86.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.2" | 41.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 12.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 902,449 ✓ Larger | 137,305 |
| Median Age | 32.7 | 34.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.7% | 48.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.9% ✓ More | 20.9% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbus's cost of living index is 94.5 vs Dayton's 92.3 (US average = 100).
Dayton is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Columbus leads 13 of 23 categories. Columbus wins 13 and Dayton wins 10. 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 Columbus to Dayton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($212,500 vs $86,200 median home), income ($62,994 vs $41,443), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbus, OH and Dayton, OH are about 66 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.