Dayton vs Toledo

The short version

  • Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
  • The median home costs $100,600 in Dayton and $114,500 in Toledo.
  • Households earn more in Toledo ($49,724 vs $45,247 median).
  • Toledo gets far more snow: 37 inches a year vs 25.
  • Dayton is growing faster: -0.7% since 2020 vs -2.8%.

Side by side

Dayton, OHToledo, OH
People
Population (2025)136,688263,423
Growth since 2020-0.7%-2.8%
People per square mile2,4493,273
Median age34.135.8
Bachelor's degree or higher22%22%
Money and housing
Median household income$45,247$49,724
Median home value$100,600$114,500
Home value to income2.2×2.3×
Median rent (with utilities)$918$901
Metro price level (US = 100)92.791.5
Housing price level (US = 100)72.767.3
$75,000 elsewhere equals$69,500$68,600
Homeowners48%53%
Top state income tax2.75%2.75%
Combined sales tax7.29%7.29%
Work and commute
Average commute (minutes)20.319.8
Work from home10%7%
Take public transit3%1%
Unemployment (2020-24 avg)9%7.7%
Poverty rate26.9%24.3%
Weather
January high / low37° / 22°35° / 20°
July high / low86° / 66°87° / 64°
Precipitation per year41 in35 in
Snowfall per year25 in37 in
Days 90°F or hotter1619
Nights below freezing110123
Comfortable months65
Risks, air and home prices
Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county)Relatively ModerateRelatively Moderate
FEMA risk score (lower is safer)92.792.4
Good air days, 2025n/a47%
Home prices, past year+5.3%+3.4%
Home prices, past 5 years+49.7%+42.8%

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

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Dayton Toledo. Solid lines are average highs, dashed lines average lows (°F), NOAA 1991-2020 normals.

Most comfortable months: Dayton: April and June to October. Toledo: May to June and August to October.

Full monthly tables: Dayton weather by month and Toledo 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 Dayton and $68,600 in Toledo. Moving from Dayton to Toledo, you would need about $74,000 to match a $75,000 salary.

Try your own salary

Moving between Dayton and Toledo

80people moved from Montgomery County, OH to Lucas County, OH in a year
96moved the other way

IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Dayton and Toledo.

Which would you pick?

One vote per person. Results show after you vote.

Compare something else

vs