Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Davenport, IA
VS
Dayton, OH
🏆 Davenport leads 16 of 22 categories
Davenport
Iowa
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,890 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
153⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
101,448
Dayton
Ohio
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.3
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.
Davenport, IA
Pros
57% less violent crime than Dayton
Households earn $18,447 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.0 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 28.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.3)
Smaller class sizes — 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (581.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3540.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Dayton, OH
Pros
Homes cost $69k less ($86,200 vs $155,100)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.3)
Milder winters — January highs near 36°F vs 31°F
Cons
Median income trails Davenport by $18,447/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 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Davenport
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 89.3 vs 92.3 (100 = US avg)
Davenport
Median Income
$18,447
$59,890 vs $41,443/yr
Davenport
Violent Crime
57% lower
581.4 vs 1339.2 per 100k
Davenport
Unemployment
5.0 pp lower
5.0% vs 10.0% unemployment
Dayton
Median Home Value
$69k less
$86,200 vs $155,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Davenport, IA | Dayton, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.3 ✓ Cheaper | 92.3 |
| Median Home Value | $155,100 | $86,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $890 | $830 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,890 ✓ Higher | $41,443 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter | 21.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.7% | 7.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 294⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 153⚠ High ✓ Safer | 352⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 169⚠ High ✓ Safer | 206⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | C (77) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.5% ✓ Higher | 19.6% |
| High School or Higher | 92.0% ✓ Higher | 86.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Davenport Comm School District | Dayton City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 31.0°F | 36.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.9°F | 86.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.8" ✓ Drier | 41.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 36.1" | 12.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,448 | 137,305 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 34.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.2% ✓ Higher | 48.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.4% ✓ More | 20.9% |
| Over 65 | 16.2% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Davenport's cost of living index is 89.3 vs Dayton's 92.3 (US average = 100).
Davenport is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Davenport leads 16 of 22 categories. Davenport wins 16 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 Davenport to Dayton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($155,100 vs $86,200 median home), income ($59,890 vs $41,443), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Davenport, IA and Dayton, OH are about 357 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.