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Dayton vs Preston

Dayton, Idaho versus Preston, Idaho: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Dayton

Solid · objective livability52/100

Preston

Solid · objective livability51/100

Dayton and Preston score about the same overall (52 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorDaytonPreston
Affordability
Median Household Income$82k$52k
Cost of Living$46k$46k
Home Value$237k$246k
Monthly Rent$1k$764
Monthly Owner Costs$150$1k
Property Tax Rate0.48%0.59%
Income Tax5.80%5.80%
Sales Tax6.03%6.03%
Estimated total tax burden9.19%10.61%
Unemployment6.0%0.6%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)25°F25°F
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F73°F
Annual Precipitation17.3 in17.3 in
Annual Snowfall52.4 in52.4 in
Sunny Days252 days252 days
Summer Humidity44°F44°F
Comfortable Days33 days35 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk71.771.6
Air Quality36 AQI35 AQI
School Quality17.620.0
Violent Crime194/100k405/100k
Property Crime308/100k590/100k
Community
Population5055,668
Median Age35.537.6
Racial Diversity0.080.16
Male/Female Ratio1.201.15
Political LeaningR+80R+80
White (%)96.0%89.4%
Black (%)0.0%0.0%
Hispanic (%)1.6%5.6%
Asian (%)0.0%0.0%
Other / Multiracial (%)2.4%5.0%
Getting Around
Commute Time24 min
Walkability5.7/205.8/20
Airport Distance91 mi91 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access95.1%95.8%
Amenities Nearby237.6235.29
Park & Nature AccessLimitedLimited

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is Dayton or Preston more affordable?
Preston has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Dayton's $46k and Preston's $46k. Median rent is $1k in Dayton versus $764 in Preston.
Is Dayton or Preston safer?
Dayton has the lower violent crime rate. Dayton reports 194/100k and Preston reports 405/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Dayton or Preston?
The median home value is $237k in Dayton and $246k in Preston, so homes are more affordable in Dayton.
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