Dayton, NJ vs Pennington, NJ

Dayton, NJ and Pennington, NJ have a very similar cost of living, with only a 2.2% difference in their overall index. Dayton scores 138 while Pennington scores 141 on the cost of living index, where 100 represents the national average. The day-to-day expenses for residents in both cities are comparable, though differences emerge when looking at specific categories.

On the housing front, median rent in Dayton is $1,969/month compared to $1,819/month in Pennington — a 8% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Pennington has cheaper rent, Dayton actually has lower median home values ($471,700 vs $608,200).

Median household income in Dayton is $141,308 compared to $171,282 in Pennington (-17.5%). While Pennington is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Dayton spend roughly 16.7% of their income on rent, more than the 12.7% in Pennington.