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Buying a home in Dayton, Tennessee

The typical owner-occupied home in Dayton is worth about $214,900, 25% below the Tennessee median of $286,700 and 35% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $878 a year in property taxes, about 0.41% of their home's value, lower than the Tennessee rate of 0.50%. The median household earns $49,719 a year, so the median home costs 4.3 times the median income (4.1 times for Tennessee). 46% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 48% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Dayton at a glance

Dayton Tennessee U.S.
Median home value $214,900 $286,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $878 $1,442 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.41% 0.50% 0.94%
Median household income $49,719 $69,595 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 46% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 48% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,499 $1,566 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 21.9% 19.6% 21.0%
Median rent $848 $1,189 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 24.9% 29.5% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1984 1987 1980
Vacant homes 8.1% 10.2% 10.1%
Population 7,625 7,066,383 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Dayton

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Dayton home of $214,900 with 20% down costs about $1,319 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,677, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $56,550 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 32% of the median Dayton household income of $49,719; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $189,000.

The median rent here is $848 a month, so owning the median home costs about $471 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$42,980
Loan amount$171,920
Principal and interest$1,157
Property taxes (0.41% a year)$73
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$90
PMI$0
Total per month$1,319

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$7,522
Loan amount$211,008
Principal and interest$1,419
Property taxes (0.41% a year)$73
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$90
FHA mortgage insurance$95
Total per month$1,677

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Questions about home buying in Dayton

What is the median home value in Dayton?

About $214,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Dayton?

Homeowners pay a median $878 a year, which is about 0.41% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Dayton?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,319 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $56,550 a year.

More about Dayton

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data