Dayton, Ohio Housing Market

What stands out in Dayton?

• Asking prices swing about 22.9% between the cheapest and priciest months: among the biggest seasonal price swings of 765 tracked cities. Timing your purchase within the year matters here.
• Prices were above the year before in 95% of months: among the most consistent price growth of 765 tracked cities. Drops here have been short.
• The median asking price is $208,486: one of the cheapest of 765 tracked cities. Low entry prices help cash flow, but check what keeps them low before you buy.

What moves the numbers in Dayton?

Dayton asking prices per square foot were above the year before in 95% of months since the data starts. Within a year, the cheapest and priciest months differ by about 22.9%. That is bigger than the yearly trend, so timing your purchase matters here. Nothing in Dayton's numbers is far from its own normal. Your return comes from the property and the price you negotiate.

When do Dayton prices dip?

Across 9 full years, Dayton asking prices ran lowest in January, about 12.2% below the year's average. They peaked in August. The most homes for sale show up in October, about 18% above the yearly average. Shop in October for choice, and expect the softest asking prices in January.

Is now a good time to buy in Dayton?

The median asking price is 12.7% below its Oct 2025 peak. Per square foot the gap is smaller: 3.7% below the Oct 2025 high. Part of the drop is smaller homes coming to market. Prices are still falling. Waiting has paid off so far. Let listings age, then come back lower. Dayton prices have risen in 106 of the last 111 months. Drops here have been short and shallow. Buying in a slow month has rarely hurt a long hold.

This market is turning. Which way is not settled yet. Check the monthly numbers above before you commit.

How much can you negotiate in Dayton?

For every 100 homes still for sale, 57 are under contract. In 2017–2019 at this time of year it was 71. The rest are still waiting for a buyer. About 1 in 3 sellers has already dropped their price. Each one has learned their first price was too high. Start your offer below their new price.

The typical Dayton listing has been on the market 49 days. That is 12% longer than a year ago. There are 1,279 homes for sale in Dayton. That is 4.4 times the tightest month on record, but below the peak of 2,242. Supply is growing against last year.

What to do about it

• Start in 45402, 45410, and 45406, where sellers are weakest: in 45402, 31% of sellers have cut and the typical listing has been up 68 days.
• Look for listings older than 60 days with a price cut.

How does Dayton compare with other Ohio markets?

Ranked among the 21 Ohio markets we track:

• Asking price: 11th cheapest of 21. Dayton is at $208,486. Closest: Youngstown and Mansfield.
• Buyer competition: 7th least competitive of 19. Dayton is at 0.57 buyers per home. Closest: Lorain and Cincinnati.
• Time on market: 5th longest time on market of 21. Dayton is at a median of 49 days on market. Closest: Newark and Youngstown.
• Price cuts: 4th most price cuts of 21. Dayton is at 29% of sellers cutting. Closest: Springfield and Grove City.

What numbers should you underwrite a Dayton deal with?

• Price growth to assume — +4.5%/yr. Dayton grew 7.0% a year over the decade. Ignore that rate. Most of it landed in the 2020 and 2021 boom. Without the boom, Dayton grows about 4.5% a year. That is the number to type in. Prices fell 2.1% over the last year. Use it for timing. The five-year rate is the better guide.
• Odds you cut your price to sell — 1 in 3. 29% of Dayton listings have cut their asking price. Underwrite your exit below asking.
• Competition when you exit — +23%. Homes for sale in Dayton are up 23% on last year, so your resale faces more competition than today's comps did.

Read when a cheap market is a warning and how we read these numbers, then run the numbers on a deal.

What is the median home price in Dayton?

The median asking price in Dayton is about $208,000 as of Sep 2026, down 10.6% from a year ago. The typical listing is 11% smaller than a year ago, and asking price per square foot is down 2.1%. So the size of homes on the market explains much of the drop. This is the asking price on homes listed for sale. Sites that report sold prices or estimated home values will show a different number. Our Dayton figures cover the 40 ZIP codes with a Dayton mailing address, which can reach past city limits.

Is Dayton a buyer's or seller's market in 2026?

Neither side has the upper hand in Dayton right now. We compare Dayton with 2017–2019 at this time of year: 29% of sellers have cut their price, against 20% then; there are 57 pending sales per 100 listings, against 71 then; there are 9% fewer homes for sale.

Are Dayton home prices going up or down?

The median asking price is 12.7% below its Oct 2025 peak. Per square foot the gap is smaller: 3.7% below the Oct 2025 high. Part of the drop is smaller homes coming to market. Prices are still falling. Waiting has paid off so far. Let listings age, then come back lower.

Which Dayton ZIP code has the most negotiating room?

45402. Only 27 homes under contract for every 100 still for sale. 31% of sellers there have cut their price, and the typical listing has been up 68 days.

What price growth should I assume for Dayton?

Assume +4.5% a year. Dayton grew 7.0% a year over the decade. Ignore that rate. Most of it landed in the 2020 and 2021 boom. Without the boom, Dayton grows about 4.5% a year. That is the number to type in. Prices fell 2.1% over the last year. Use it for timing. The five-year rate is the better guide.

What is the fair market rent in Dayton?

HUD's fiscal year 2026 fair market rent for Montgomery County is $1,273 a month for 2 bedrooms and $1,651 for 3 bedrooms. The figures include tenant-paid utilities and cover the whole county.