Champaign vs Dayton
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $100,600 in Dayton and $210,900 in Champaign.
- Households earn more in Champaign ($56,118 vs $45,247 median).
- Champaign is growing faster: +3.3% since 2020 vs -0.7%.
- Commutes are shorter in Champaign (15 vs 20 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Champaign, IL | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 91,195 | 136,688 |
| Growth since 2020 | +3.3% | -0.7% |
| People per square mile | 3,961 | 2,449 |
| Median age | 26.6 | 34.1 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53% | 22% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $56,118 | $45,247 |
| Median home value | $210,900 | $100,600 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 2.2× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,123 | $918 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 92.7 | 92.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 71.6 | 72.7 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,500 | $69,500 |
| Homeowners | 44% | 48% |
| Top state income tax | 4.95% | 2.75% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.98% | 7.29% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 14.9 | 20.3 |
| Work from home | 17% | 10% |
| Take public transit | 5% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.8% | 9% |
| Poverty rate | 25.9% | 26.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 34° / 18° | 37° / 22° |
| July high / low | 85° / 65° | 86° / 66° |
| Precipitation per year | 41 in | 41 in |
| Snowfall per year | 21 in | 25 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 23 | 16 |
| Nights below freezing | 120 | 110 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 90.5 | 92.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 66% | n/a |
| Home prices, past year | +5.4% | +5.3% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +47.5% | +49.7% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Champaign: July to October. Dayton: April and June to October.
Full monthly tables: Champaign weather by month and Dayton weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $69,500 in Champaign and $69,500 in Dayton. Moving from Champaign to Dayton, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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