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Quality of Life

The Dayton Region Offers a Quality of Life That Blends the Best of Big-City Amenities With a Small-Town Feel

When Outside Magazine named Dayton the “Best Rebirth of the American Dream,” the title fits perfectly.

While Forbes magazine recognized Dayton as one of the nation’s “Most Affordable Cities” and “Happiest Places to Work”, these are only some accolades that contribute to the region’s identity. Dayton’s affordability, career opportunities, and standout quality of life make it the perfect place for people to grow personally and professionally.

From the community’s vast outdoor recreation opportunities to its wide variety of housing choices to abundant amenities usually found in much larger cities, the Dayton Region’s diverse residents have created a place where people can build a life filled with purpose, opportunity and joy.

You're Welcome Here

The City of Dayton was designated the first official “Welcoming City,” but our region’s efforts to embrace newcomers extend beyond the title.

The Welcome Dayton effort promotes immigrant integration into the Dayton Region by encouraging business and economic development; providing access to education, government, health and social services; ensuring equity in the justice system; and promoting an appreciation of arts and culture.

Dayton’s thriving LGBTQ community features the award-winning drag troupe Rubi Girls, which has been performing to sold-out audiences since the 1980s and a biennial event, Masquerade, which raises awareness and critical funds for HIV/AIDS medical care provided by Dayton’s Equitas Health.

Catholic Social Services offers workforce training for refugees, and Welcome Dayton has created a supportive network of services to ease refugees’ transitions into the community.

Dayton is the perfect location for individuals seeking professional connections. Programs like UpDayton and Generation Dayton help young professionals get to know their community and provide professional development training and social networking for new arrivals. 

Affordability and Sense of Community That's Hard to Beat

Dayton may be known as the Birthplace of Aviation, but it is also a great place to put down some roots. The Region has hundreds of affordable communities, ranging from downtown dwellings to family-friendly suburbs, and everything in between. With the entire county region accessible within an hour’s drive and the average commute time about 20 minutes, our residents can pick among urban, suburban and rural communities without sacrificing their free time to their commute.

The average housing price is $124,000 for Montgomery County, and the cost of living is more than 10 points below the U.S. average. The region is home to some of the best school districts in the state, with unique partnerships formed such as the Dayton Region STEM School and the Dayton Early College Academy.

The Wright Stepp program increases the number of students from Dayton Public Schools and the Springfield City schools who graduate from high school with adequate academic preparation to earn a bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Forbes ranked Dayton a Top 10 STEM community with the fourth-largest concentration of engineers per capita.

Dayton’s affordable housing, easy commutes, great schools, outdoor adventure and a host of dining options often turn an individual’s “next career stop” into a “forever home.”

Hub of Connectivity 

Located in the heartland in the heart of it all, Dayton is very attractive to business. Our proximity to other population centers means we have a 600- to 800- mile radius where we can get to in a day. Dayton is a multimodal hub with access to air, water, rail and road. The city is at the crossroads of America with I-75 running north and south, and I-70 going east to west to both coasts.

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