Dayton, Cincinnati rank in top 100 best places to live

Dayton is the 75th best place to live in the country, according to new data from the U.S. News & World Report.

The Gem City received a 6.3 overall rating, measured for desirability, value, job market, quality of life and net migration. The average salary in Dayton is $46,000, and the average monthly rent is about $745. The average commute time is just over 21 minutes, according to the report.

“As the hometown of first flyers Orville and Wilbur Wright, as well as the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio’s sixth-largest metro area is rich in aviation history,” the report found. “Aviation enthusiasts will appreciate the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and the Wright Brothers National Memorial.”

The report also cited Dayton’s reasonable cost of living and median home value as positive attributes about the city.

“The metro area’s median home value is well below the national average, and Dayton residents spend 8 percent less on living expenses, such as groceries and health care, than the average American.,” the report found.

Cincinnati came in at No. 53 on the list, and received a 6.5 out of 10 rating. The average salary in Cincinnati was about $47,030, and the average commute was just under 25 minutes.

“Families are drawn to Cincinnati for its excellent public and private schools, and its large number of Montessori schools. Plus, Fortune 500 companies bring in national and international talent and help keep the area’s unemployment rate low,” the report found.

Columbus ranked 57th, Toledo came in at No. 71, and Cleveland at No. 84. The top 10 cities were:

• Austin, Texas

• Denver, Colorado

• San Jose, California

• Washington, D.C.

• Fayetteville, Arkansas

• Seattle, Washington

• Raleigh & Durham, North Carolina

• Boston, Massachusetts

• Des Moines, Iowa

• Salt Lake City, Utah

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