Average Rent in Dayton, OH (2026)

Typical asking rent in Dayton is $1,166. Across the 8 ZIP codes with data it runs from $1,032 to $1,569, so which side of town you buy on matters as much as the city average. Data as of September 2026.

Comparing this postal-city sample with the surrounding counties? The Ohio rent guide shows the county differences and helps compare two homes across a full year of energy bills.

Median rent
$1,166
Average rent
$1,234
Lowest ZIP
$1,032
Highest ZIP
$1,569

Rent by ZIP code in Dayton

ZIP codeCountyTypical rentvs city median
45459Montgomery County$1,569+35%
45402Montgomery County$1,418+22%
45414Montgomery County$1,384+19%
45410Montgomery County$1,255+8%
45403Montgomery County$1,076-8%
45406Montgomery County$1,072-8%
45417Montgomery County$1,069-8%
45405Montgomery County$1,032-11%

Rent by bedroom count in Dayton

Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Montgomery County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for. Montgomery County uses Small Area FMRs, and the two bedroom figure runs from $1,000 to $1,460 depending on the Dayton ZIP code.

Unit sizeFY2027 Fair Market RentChange from FY2026
Studio$909-2.0%
1 bedroom$1,008-0.1%
2 bedroom$1,248-2.0%
3 bedroom$1,623-1.7%
4 bedroom$1,774-2.4%

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.

Is rent going up or down in Dayton?

Typical rent across Montgomery County is $1,284 as of September 2026. That is up 2.3% from a year earlier and up 27.5% over five years.

YearTypical rent, Montgomery CountyChange
2021$1,035+11.5%
2022$1,113+7.5%
2023$1,179+5.9%
2024$1,231+4.4%
2025$1,261+2.4%
2026 (through September)$1,284+1.8%

Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.

Dayton rent questions

What is the average rent in Dayton, OH?
Typical asking rent in Dayton is $1,166 a month as of September 2026, across 8 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,032 to $1,569.
How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Dayton?
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Montgomery County is $1,248 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,008 and a three bedroom is $1,623. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
Is rent going up or down in Dayton?
Rent is rising. Typical rent in Montgomery County is $1,284 as of September 2026, up 2.3% from a year earlier.
What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Dayton?
ZIP 45405 has the lowest typical asking rent in Dayton at $1,032 a month, compared with $1,166 for the city overall.
How much income do you need to rent in Dayton?
Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Dayton rent of $1,166, that is about $3,498 a month, or $41,976 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.

How to use these numbers

These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.

If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Dayton sits in the Dayton-Kettering, OH metro area.

Other Ohio cities

Would a rental in Dayton cash flow?

Start the analyzer with the Dayton median rent of $1,166 and add a real purchase price to see cash flow, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return.