Dayton, KY — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

Campbell County · Cincinnati · population 5,854

AffordabilitySmall-town feel
View watchlist →
66
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Dayton stands

At or near all-time high. rents up 6.2% in the last year.

Median home $199,131
1-year +0.2%
5-yr CAGR +2.9%
vs 5-yr peak -0.8%
Population +0.8%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-02$199k$87k$128k$168k$209k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
25/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
10/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
65/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,688/mo$1,483$1,649$1,81520242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent1029910020242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 9.8
Buy

At a 9.8 price-to-rent ratio, buying generally beats renting in Dayton on a long-enough horizon. The headline math is that one year of mortgage payments approximates 9.8 years of rent — well below the 15+ threshold where ownership starts to dominate.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
51 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
53 · w22%
Distance from peak
85 · w18%
Population growth
61 · w16%
Rent YoY
85 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
80 · w10%
Long thesis

Dayton has held up across the cycle: home values at $199,131 with +2.9% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Dayton is a small market with thin transaction volume and modest appreciation. The bear case is liquidity: when you eventually sell, your buyer pool is small, slow, and price-sensitive.

About Dayton

Dayton is a city in Campbell County, Kentucky, with an estimated population of 5,854. It anchors the Cincinnati metro area. The population grew 0.8% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Dayton is $199,131 as of 2026-04, up 0.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +2.9% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Dayton average $1,688 per month, up 6.2% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 66 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

Bull case

Held the highs: currently -0.8% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
Cheap entry point: $199,131 median home is well below the US median of $355k — room to grow without overpaying.
Hot rental market: rents up 6.2% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

Bear case

Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Campbell County right now.

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Campbell County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Dayton

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
42° / 26°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
86° / 66°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
188
~52% of year
Annual precip
50″ rain
12″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Moderate
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Cincinnati area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Dayton listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$60,200
Kentucky state median
Top industries (state-level)
Manufacturing (auto)HealthcareLogistics (UPS)

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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