Median rent is 13% lower in Dayton ($918/mo vs $1,051/mo). Buying is cheaper in Dayton, where the median home runs $100,600 versus $208,500. Households earn more in Kettering ($74,681 vs $45,247 a year).
City A
Dayton, OH
City B
Kettering, OH
How much would you need to earn in Kettering, OH to maintain your standard of living from Dayton, OH?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Dayton
Ohio
Kettering
Ohio
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Dayton at $918/mo compared to $1,051/mo in Kettering (13% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Kettering: the median home is $208,500 versus $100,600 in Dayton — 52% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Dayton
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Kettering
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is not yet available for these cities.
Pick Kettering if you prioritize higher median household income ($74,681/yr).
Pick Dayton if you prioritize cheaper rent ($918/mo median).
Is Dayton cheaper than Kettering?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Dayton vs Kettering?
Median rent is $918/mo in Dayton, OH and $1,051/mo in Kettering, OH. Dayton, OH has the lower rent by about 13%.
Which has higher salaries — Dayton or Kettering?
Median household income is $45,247 in Dayton, OH and $74,681 in Kettering, OH. Kettering, OH has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Which has lower taxes — Dayton or Kettering?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Kettering to match my Dayton income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
