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City · 9,058 residents · Liberty County, Texas

Dayton , Texas

In Dayton, a typical home is worth $227,600 and typical rent is $1,045 a month. Compared with all of Liberty County, the typical home value is 25% higher, typical household income is 13% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 17 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $227,600

    25% above the county

    20% below Texas

    • Dayton
    • Liberty
    • Texas

  • Typical rent

    $1,045a month

    About the same as the county

    26% below Texas

    • Dayton
    • Liberty
    • Texas

  • Typical household income

    $59,691a year

    13% below the county

    24% below Texas

    • Dayton
    • Liberty
    • Texas

  • Households that own their home

    66%

    17 points below the county

    3 points above Texas

    • Dayton
    • Liberty
    • Texas

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$302,188
1.3% less than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,553 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Dayton is in Liberty County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Liberty County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Dayton apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 66% of households in Dayton own their home, against 82% in Liberty County.

  2. Nearby, in Liberty, the typical home value is $175,300: 23% less than in Dayton ($227,600).

  3. The typical home in Dayton is worth $227,600, 25% more than in Liberty County as a whole ($181,700).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Dayton

What homes there are in Dayton, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Dayton, 7 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Liberty County, 6.

Year built

The typical home in Dayton was built in 2000, 4 years after the typical one in Liberty County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,884 a month

Liberty County: $1,679 a month

Without a mortgage

$522 a month

Liberty County: $533 a month

Owners with a mortgage

50%

Liberty County: 47%

Owning costs more in Dayton: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,884 a month; in Liberty County, $1,679. Without one, $522.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Dayton rose 35% since 2015–2019, less than in Liberty County (63%).

Much as in Liberty County, the typical rent in Dayton rose 25% since 2015–2019.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureDaytonLiberty CountyTexasUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate7.7%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.1%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate7.2%4.8%3.4%
People per household 2.803.152.692.53
Drive alone 74%78%71%69%
Carpool 17%14%10%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate7%14%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate30 to 39 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

On average, a household in Dayton has 2.80 people, fewer than in Liberty County (3.15).

In Dayton, 17% of workers share a car to get to work; in Liberty County, 14%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Dayton?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Dayton, worth $227,600, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 40% of the typical household income in Dayton, which is $59,691 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $84,559 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Liberty County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Dayton. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $7,966 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,973

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$223,478
Total interest
$321,532
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,844 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,393 a month

  • Tight

    $1,393 to $1,791 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,791 a month

    Your payment · 40%

Compared with the typical household income in Dayton ($59,691 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,973
Principal & interest$1,514
Property tax$264
Home insurance$95
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$101

You need at least $7,966 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Dayton and Liberty County

Dayton is in Liberty County, Texas. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Dayton's own numbers

Typical home value
$227,600
Typical monthly rent
$1,045
Typical yearly household income
$59,691
Households that own their home
66%
Effective property tax rate
1.39%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Liberty County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,497
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+37%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
11%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Liberty County.

Everything about Liberty County

Buying

Buying a home in Dayton

A typical home in Dayton is worth $227,600: 25% above the county and 20% below Texas. With the typical household income in Dayton ($59,691 a year), a typical home costs 3.8 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Dayton 3.8 years
  • Liberty 2.6 years
  • Texas 3.6 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Liberty County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Liberty County rose 80% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Liberty County.

Period County Texas U.S.
Last year (2025) −0.7% +0.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +37% +44% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +80% +88% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Dayton next to Liberty County, Texas and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Dayton $227,600
  • Liberty $181,700
  • Texas $283,800
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Dayton $1,045
  • Liberty $1,044
  • Texas $1,403
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Dayton $59,691
  • Liberty $68,703
  • Texas $78,476
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Dayton next to Liberty County and Texas
Measure Dayton Liberty County Texas U.S.
Typical home value $227,600 $181,700 $283,800 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,045 $1,044 $1,403 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $59,691 $68,703 $78,476 $80,734
Households that own their home 66% 82% 63% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,167 $2,133 $4,232 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.39% 1.17% 1.49% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 63% 54% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Liberty County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Dayton

For a typical $227,600 home in Dayton, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Dayton's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,973a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $7,966
    Cash to close
    $14,794
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $101

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,931a month

    Down payment
    $11,380
    Cash to close
    $18,208
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $108

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,592a month

    Down payment
    $45,520
    Cash to close
    $52,348
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,802a month

    Down payment
    $34,140
    Cash to close
    $40,968
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Dayton and for Liberty County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Dayton

1.39%of the home’s value each year

$3,167 a year for the typical owner in Dayton.

  • Dayton 1.39%
  • Liberty 1.17%
  • Texas 1.49%

What Texas publishes School-district homestead exemption (Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts)

Exemptions and deadlines in Texas

Flood risk in Liberty County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Liberty County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
11%
3,601
Of those, with NFIP insurance
19%
County Texas U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 11% 4.1% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 19% 48% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Dayton

Typical rent in Dayton is $1,045 a month: about the same as the county. In Dayton, 63% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Liberty County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,497 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $28.79 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Liberty County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,233 $23.71 $49,320
1 bedroom $1,261 $24.25 $50,440
2 bedrooms $1,497 $28.79 $59,880
3 bedrooms $2,017 $38.79 $80,680
4 bedrooms $2,502 $48.12 $100,080

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Dayton

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Dayton is in ZIP code 77535.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,200: $297 less than the fair market rent for Liberty County ($1,497).

  • 77535 $1,200$1,620

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Dayton when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Dayton

HUD lists 8 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Dayton. These are the largest.

  • Unnamed 1008 W Clayton St, Dayton 77535 100 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of the City of Dayton · Average payment: $485 a month · Average wait: 2 months (936) 258-5372
  • Cedar Ridge Apartments 1907 N Winfree St, Dayton 77535 80 low-income homes · 2 bd: 80 · For older adults, people with disabilities, families, people experiencing homelessness
  • Dayton Park Apts II 4490 N Cleveland St, Dayton 77535 50 low-income homes · 2 bd: 22 · 3 bd: 24 · 4 bd: 4 · In service since 1997
  • Dayton Retirement Center 1900 N Winfree St, Dayton 77535 48 low-income homes · 1 bd: 48 · For older adults, people with disabilities, families, people experiencing homelessness
  • Dayton Square LTD 2800 N Winfree St, Dayton 77535 48 low-income homes · 1 bd: 44 · 2 bd: 4 · In service since 1994

See all 15 buildings in Liberty County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Dayton

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Liberty County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man listens closely, seated at a meeting table.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Dayton

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Dayton or Liberty County. The ones below are statewide in Texas: they work in Dayton the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Texas

  • My First Texas Home

    Statewide in Texas

    Texas state program for first-time buyers: a 30-year mortgage with down payment assistance. Offered by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA).

    DeferredForgivable

    See the program Official page

  • My Choice Texas Home

    Statewide in Texas

    Texas state program with down payment assistance for any buyer, not only first-time buyers. Offered by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA).

    DeferredForgivable

    See the program Official page

  • Texas Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)

    Statewide in Texas

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    Texas state certificate that turns part of your mortgage interest into a credit on your federal tax return. Offered by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA).

    Tax credit

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Dayton

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Dayton, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Nid-Hca Dightman

    113 N Avenue H, Humble · 19 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 8 more
    (281) 895-0563

  • Keystone Community Development Corporation

    309 W X St, Deer Park · 25 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 1 more
    (281) 476-3592

  • Fifth-Ward Community Redevelopment Corp.

    4300 Lyons Ave Ste 300, Houston · 29 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (713) 674-0175

All counseling agencies in Texas

Help in Spanish near Dayton

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Dayton

HUD’s record names them for Dayton or Liberty County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

One other authority has an office in Liberty County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Liberty County

These cities are also in Liberty County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Liberty County Housing in Texas

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Dayton, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Liberty County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Dayton.

All guides
A mother smiles as she carries her young daughter on her shoulders (black and white).

Questions

Housing questions about Dayton

Short answers with the numbers for Dayton and all of Liberty County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Dayton?

The typical home value in Dayton is $227,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Liberty County it is $181,700.

How much does it cost to rent in Dayton?

Typical rent in Dayton is $1,045 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Liberty County is $1,497.

What is the FHA loan limit in Dayton?

Dayton uses the FHA limit for all of Liberty County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Dayton?

The typical homeowner in Dayton pays $3,167 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.39% of the home’s value; in Liberty County, the rate is 1.17%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Dayton?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Liberty County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).