The Town FilesDayton, Tennessee
City in Rhea County · population 7,065 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $214,900
- Household income
- $49,719
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 40.3
Dayton is a city of 7,065 people in Rhea County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $214,900, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks more vibrant than 86% of Tennessee towns, more of a college town than 85% of Tennessee towns, better for first-time buyers than 72% of Tennessee towns.
How Dayton ranks
Percentile among Tennessee towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Tennessee towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Dayton is worth $214,900, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $49,719, which is more affordable than 27% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $848 a month. 45.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dayton | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $214,900 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $848 | $863 |
| Median household income | $49,719 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 45.6% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Dayton
| People | Dayton | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.3 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.2% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.6% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.2% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.9% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.8% | 88.2% |
Weather in Dayton
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 28.3°F. About 58.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.6 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 72 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dayton since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on April 27, 2011 about 6.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 12 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 2, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on May 20, 2006.
Severe weather in Rhea County since 1996
Rhea County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 27, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4742: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| May 17, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4712: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
Jobs and pay in Rhea County
Rhea County had 11,990 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,168 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Dayton itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Public schools in Dayton
4 public schools with 2,013 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton City Elementary | PK-8 | 863 | 14.9 |
| Rhea Central Elementary | PK-5 | 613 | 11.6 |
| Frazier Elementary | K-5 | 322 | 14.0 |
| Graysville Elementary School | PK-5 | 215 | 11.3 |
Towns near Dayton
- Sale Creek, TN8.6 mi · 3,021 people · home $299,700
- Soddy-Daisy, TN18.6 mi · 13,070 people · home $256,600
- Athens, TN22.9 mi · 14,084 people · home $225,000
- Cleveland, TN23.1 mi · 47,356 people · home $272,200
- Dunlap, TN23.2 mi · 5,357 people · home $192,100
- Middle Valley, TN23.6 mi · 11,695 people · home $319,400
- Lake Tansi, TN26.1 mi · 4,629 people · home $280,900
- Harrison, TN26.8 mi · 7,902 people · home $307,400
Dayton questions
Is Dayton, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dayton scores better for retirees than 26% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 8%. 19.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.3).
How much does a house cost in Dayton?
The median owner-occupied home in Dayton is valued at $214,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,719, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $848 a month.
What is the weather like in Dayton?
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 28.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 58.7 inches of precipitation a year and 1.6 inches of snow.
Does Dayton get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dayton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on April 27, 2011. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)