CostIndexUSA

Dayton, OH vs Flint, MI Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostOH
Dayton
92.7
overall index
$1,300/mo rent
MI
Flint
93
overall index
$1,075/mo rent

Dayton and Flint have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+1.8%
Dayton
72.7
Flint
74
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Dayton
93.6
Flint
93.7
🚗 Transportation+0.6%
Dayton
103.9
Flint
104.5
🏥 Healthcare+0.6%
Dayton
94
Flint
94.6
Utilities+1.8%
Dayton
95.4
Flint
97.1

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Dayton to see what you'd need to earn in Flint to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Flint, MI
$80,300
$300 more needed in Flint

Formula: salary × (93 ÷ 92.7) = salary × 1.0032. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Dayton, OH

Median Home Price
$360,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,300
Housing Index
72.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
23.1×

Flint, MI

Median Home Price
$183,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,075
Housing Index
74
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.2×

Flint has 1.8% higher housing costs compared to Dayton.

Income & Job Market

Dayton, OH

Median Household Income
$67,100
Per Capita Income
$38,200
Unemployment Rate
4.5%
Population
137,630
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareMilitaryEducationGovernment

Flint, MI

Median Household Income
$60,000
Per Capita Income
$34,200
Unemployment Rate
6.9%
Population
81,252
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingEducationGovernmentRetail

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Dayton, OH
4.3×income-to-rent ratio

77% of income left after rent (median)

Flint, MI
4.7×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.