Dayton, KY

Sitting right along a bend in the Ohio River, Dayton offers a laid-back, small-town atmosphere just across the water from downtown Cincinnati. With around 5,700 residents, this Northern Kentucky community is compact, historic, and easy to navigate. Walkable residential streets feature well-preserved nineteenth-century architecture, while the riverfront provides open green space and great views of the Cincinnati skyline.

ATTRAndyHemmerCincinnati / CC BY-SA 4.0

Life here revolves around the Sixth Avenue corridor, a welcoming main strip filled with local eateries, coffee spots, and neighborhood pubs. Housing options give newcomers a solid mix to choose from, spanning restored Victorian homes and brick cottages to modern riverfront condos and townhomes at Manhattan Harbour. Dayton runs its own small independent school district, and the paved Riverfront Commons trail makes biking or walking along the river a breeze. With Route 8 and I-471 close by, a commute into downtown Cincinnati takes less than ten minutes.