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Buying a home in Dayton, Washington

The typical owner-occupied home in Dayton is worth about $243,600, 57% below the Washington median of $564,600 and 27% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,832 a year in property taxes, about 0.75% of their home's value, lower than the Washington rate of 0.81%. The median household earns $70,625 a year, so the median home costs 3.4 times the median income (5.8 times for Washington). 75% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 60% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Dayton at a glance

Dayton Washington U.S.
Median home value $243,600 $564,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,832 $4,556 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.75% 0.81% 0.94%
Median household income $70,625 $98,141 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 75% 64% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 60% 66% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,478 $2,445 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 21.4% 22.2% 21.0%
Median rent $973 $1,760 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 28.5% 30.0% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1948 1985 1980
Vacant homes 12.8% 7.3% 10.1%
Population 2,774 7,816,116 334,922,499

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 $243,600 with 20% down costs about $1,565 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,971, 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 $67,059 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 27% of the median Dayton household income of $70,625; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $257,000.

The median rent here is $973 a month, so owning the median home costs about $592 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$48,720
Loan amount$194,880
Principal and interest$1,311
Property taxes (0.75% a year)$152
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$102
PMI$0
Total per month$1,565

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$8,526
Loan amount$239,188
Principal and interest$1,609
Property taxes (0.75% a year)$152
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$102
FHA mortgage insurance$108
Total per month$1,971

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Questions about home buying in Dayton

What is the median home value in Dayton?

About $243,600 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 $1,832 a year, which is about 0.75% 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 $1,565 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $67,059 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