How much rent can you afford in Dayton, TN?
Run your salary against Dayton's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Dayton
At a median rent of $815/mo, Dayton is very affordable when measured against Dayton median household income of $49,719/yr. Rent would consume roughly 20% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $32,600 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
How Dayton compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Dayton?
On a $49,719 salary (the Dayton median household income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $1,243/mo. Dayton's median rent is $815/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Dayton?
To keep Dayton's $815/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $32,600/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Dayton affordable on the median Tennessee income?
Dayton is very affordable on a $49,719 income. Rent would take 20% of pre-tax pay, inside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".