Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Corona, CA
VS
Dayton, OH
🏆 Corona leads 16 of 23 categories
Corona
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$103,727 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
66 ✓ Safer
Population
158,346 ✓ Larger
Dayton
Ohio
7
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.
Corona, CA
Pros
Households earn $62,284 more per year on average
81% less violent crime than Dayton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.4 pts lower (4.6%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (249.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 36°F
More college-educated — 30.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,200
Higher rents — median is $2,020/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Dayton
Longer commutes — 35.3 min average each way
Dayton, OH
Pros
Homes cost $538k less ($86,200 vs $624,200)
Rent averages $1190/mo less ($830 vs $2,020)
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Corona
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.3)
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 94°F
Cons
Median income trails Corona by $62,284/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 4.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Corona
Median Income
$62,284
$103,727 vs $41,443/yr
Corona
Violent Crime
81% lower
249.4 vs 1339.2 per 100k
Corona
Unemployment
5.4 pp lower
4.6% vs 10.0% unemployment
Corona
Summer Heat
7.0°F warmer
July avg high 93.7°F vs 86.7°F
Dayton
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 92.3 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Dayton
Median Home Value
$538k less
$86,200 vs $624,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Corona, CA | Dayton, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 92.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $624,200⚠ High | $86,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,020⚠ High | $830 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $103,727 ✓ Higher | $41,443 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.3 min⚠ High | 21.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% ✓ Higher | 7.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 ✓ Safer | 294⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 352⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 82 ✓ Safer | 206⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) ✓ Better | C (77) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.0:1 | 17.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 30.5% ✓ Higher | 19.6% |
| High School or Higher | 85.8% | 86.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Corona-Norco Unified | Dayton City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.5°F ✓ Warmer | 36.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.7°F ✓ Warmer | 86.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.3" ✓ Drier | 41.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 12.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 158,346 ✓ Larger | 137,305 |
| Median Age | 35.9 ✓ Older | 34.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.1% ✓ Higher | 48.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% ✓ More | 20.9% |
| Over 65 | 11.0% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Corona's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Dayton's 92.3 (US average = 100).
Dayton is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Corona leads 16 of 23 categories. Corona wins 16 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 Corona to Dayton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($624,200 vs $86,200 median home), income ($103,727 vs $41,443), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Corona, CA and Dayton, OH are about 1,879 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.