Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Dayton, Tennessee
A $152,000 home here costs
$1,233per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $781. The real number is $451 higher every month — 58% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Dayton against Rhea County and Tennessee
| Measure | Dayton | Rhea County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $152,200 | $178,500 |
| Median property tax | $751 | $825 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.493% | 0.462% |
| Median gross rent | $807 | $796 |
| Population | 7,191 | 33,299 |
The weather behind that power bill
Dayton sits in Rhea County, which averages a high of 86.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 26.2°F in its coldest, with 59.4" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,246 cooling and 4,019 heating degree days, which is what sets the $130 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Rhea County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Rhea County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Dayton?
A $152,000 home in Dayton, Tennessee costs approximately $1,233 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $781 principal and interest, $62 property tax, $64 homeowners insurance, $198 utilities and $127 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Dayton?
Dayton has an effective property tax rate of 0.493%, based on a median home value of $152,200 and median real estate taxes of $751. That is higher than the Rhea County average of 0.462%.
What is the average home price in Dayton?
The median owner-occupied home value in Dayton, Tennessee is $152,200, against $178,500 across Rhea County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Dayton?
Median gross rent in Dayton is $807 a month, against $1,233 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Dayton — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Tennessee.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.