Dayton City, OH - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Dayton City

Dayton City Schools serves a large, predominantly African American student body across a full PreK-12 spectrum in Montgomery County, Ohio. The district enrolls students across all age groups, with a substantial cohort in high school grades. About two-thirds of the enrolled students are Black, with a meaningful Hispanic population and smaller shares of white and multiracial students.

Academic performance in Dayton City is below the midpoint among Montgomery County's districts across proficiency measures. On Ohio's State Tests in grades 3-8, proficiency in English language arts sits in the bottom quartile when compared to other county districts, as does proficiency in mathematics and science. Performance in social studies is higher than in math, science, and ELA, though still modest. The district did not report a four-year graduation rate in the available data, which is common when a district has not yet provided that metric to the state. For parents evaluating the district on academic pathway, the state test results indicate that only a portion of students in tested grades are meeting proficiency benchmarks in core subjects.

The district has undertaken a substantial early literacy overhaul in recent years, adopting a state-approved science-of-reading curriculum called Amplify and requiring all PreK-8 teachers and beyond to complete science-of-reading training. According to publicly reported accounts, third-grade reading proficiency on state assessments rose from a lower share in 2022-2023 to a higher share the following year, showing measurable response to the curriculum shift. Whether this early progress will sustain and widen to later grades remains to be seen, but it signals district action on reading instruction, an area often foundational to later achievement.

The district maintains a diverse school portfolio. In addition to traditional elementary, middle, and high schools, Dayton City operates an early college high school (Dunbar), a school for the arts (Stivers), a Montessori elementary option, an all-girls academy, and a digital academy, along with a career and technology center. This range of pathways offers families some choice within the district, though program access and admission criteria vary.

A material change in 2025-2026 affects families with high school students. The district eliminated formal transportation for students in grades 9-12 after a state budget provision blocked it from purchasing RTA transit passes for high schoolers. Families must now arrange private transportation or pay out-of-pocket for monthly bus passes, with costs running to a substantial sum for a full school year. The district has filed suit challenging the law as discriminatory and unconstitutional, but as of now, the loss of district transportation is in effect. For any family considering residence in the district with a high schooler, this represents a concrete, ongoing cost or logistical obligation beyond tuition.

Chronic absenteeism in Dayton City is below the midpoint among county districts, meaning the district sits in a middle band rather than at an extreme. Per-pupil spending is in the upper range relative to other county districts, reflecting a resource investment, though spending alone does not determine outcomes.

The district is mid-sized relative to its region, serving across the full PreK-12 band with schools throughout Dayton and surrounding areas. Free-and-reduced-price lunch eligibility was not reported in the data available, so socioeconomic context cannot be fully characterized. State testing data reflect only one year, so trend analysis is not yet possible. Housing in the district's service area ranges widely by zip code, from lower-cost inner-city neighborhoods to more affluent suburban areas, and median home values in the district overall are below both the Ohio and national benchmarks.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

12,441

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 12%

Black 63%

White 20%

Asian 0%

Two+ 6%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

37%

—

Gr 4

32%

—

Gr 5

34%

—

Gr 6

25%

—

Gr 7

26%

—

Gr 8

20%

—

Gr 38

29%

—

Math

Gr 3

35%

—

Gr 4

30%

—

Gr 5

14%

—

Gr 6

19%

—

Gr 7

15%

—

Gr 8

11%

—

Gr 38

21%

—

Science

Gr 5

20%

—

Gr 8

23%

—

Gr 38

21%

—

Schools in this District

28 schools are officially reported under this district.

Belle Haven Elementary School

Belmont High School

Louise Troy Elementary School

Thurgood Marshall High School

Dunbar Early College High School

Eastmont Elementary School

Edison Elementary School

Fairview Elementary School

River's Edge Montessori Elementary School

Westwood Elementary School

Valerie Elementary School

Meadowdale High School

Wright Brothers Middle School

David H. Ponitz Career Technology Center

Stivers School For The Arts

Edwin Joel Brown Middle School

Kiser Elementary School

Wogaman Middle School

Roosevelt Elementary School

Dayton Digital Academy

Horace Mann Elementary School

Kemp Elementary School

Charity Adams Earley Girls Academy

Cleveland Elementary School

Ruskin Elementary School

Rosa Parks Early Learning Center

Mound Street Academy

The International School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

22%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

29%

Grades 3-8

Science

1 grade reported

22%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$117,729

Year-over-year change+0.6%

Range across 17 ZIP codes$74K to $282K

vs. state typical0.48x

vs. national typical0.32x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (17 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
45417	Dayton	$75K	+5.0%	22.6%
45404	Dayton	$105K	-0.8%	11.3%
45406	Dayton	$91K	+0.1%	10.2%
45402	Dayton	$74K	-8.5%	9.1%
45405	Dayton	$91K	-6.4%	8.2%
45403	Dayton	$107K	+0.1%	6.5%
45415	Clayton	$230K	+5.4%	5.3%
45410	Dayton	$133K	+0.4%	5.0%
45414	Dayton	$184K	+3.3%	5.0%
45420	Kettering	$170K	+4.4%	4.9%

Showing top 10 of 17 ZIP codes by land area weight

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,175/mo

Year-over-year change+3.5%

Range across 16 ZIP codes$1,024 to $1,726/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (16 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
45417	Dayton	$1,094	+1.7%	22.6%
45404	Dayton	$1,050	—	11.3%
45406	Dayton	$1,084	+2.9%	10.2%
45402	Dayton	$1,334	+2.8%	9.1%
45405	Dayton	$1,035	+2.5%	8.2%
45403	Dayton	$1,024	+3.3%	6.5%
45410	Dayton	$1,223	+12.3%	5.0%
45414	Dayton	$1,432	+5.9%	5.0%
45420	Kettering	$1,237	+5.1%	4.9%
45416	Trotwood	$1,220	—	4.0%

Showing top 10 of 16 ZIP codes by land area weight

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$594/mo

Home price / national median income1.4x

Annual rent / national median income16.8%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$581/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$244,844 (+3.6% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.