Fairborn receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fairborn
Dayton
Opportunity
75 · Top 14%
vs52 · Bottom 41%
Growth
76 · Top 9%
vs51 · Top 49%
Climate
68 · Bottom 41%
vs68 · Bottom 41%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 8%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs85 · Top 42%
Schools
29 · Bottom 21%
vs11 · Bottom 3%
Access
97 · Top 23%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 43%
vs29 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Fairborn | Dayton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,534 | 136,579 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,751 | $45,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,921 | $27,444 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,370/sq mi | 2,447/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $175,000 | $100,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $977 | $918 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.2% | 48.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.2% | 21.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 26.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 203 | 364 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.9 | 2.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 128.1% | 4.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.3" | 41.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 21.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 34.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.64 | 17.33 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.3% | 24.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.1% | 31.0% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Fairborn
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Dayton
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Fairborn, OH · Dayton, OH · How this is calculated: methodology