The Town FilesDayton, Indiana
Town in Tippecanoe County · population 1,330 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $176,300
- Household income
- $78,289
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 45
- Median age
- 31.9
Dayton is a town of 1,330 people in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. The median home is worth $176,300, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks easier by car than 73% of Indiana towns, better for young professionals than 71% of Indiana towns, more upscale than 70% of Indiana towns.
How Dayton ranks
Percentile among Indiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Indiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Dayton is worth $176,300, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $78,289, which is more affordable than 64% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $947 a month. 81.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dayton | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $176,300 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $947 | $888 |
| Median household income | $78,289 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 81.4% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dayton
| People | Dayton | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.9 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.8% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 30.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.0% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 17.6 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Dayton
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 17.7°F. About 39.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.5 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
45 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dayton since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 16 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 1.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 51 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 25, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 61 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 25, 2014.
Severe weather in Tippecanoe County since 1996
Tippecanoe County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
| June 8, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1766: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| January 30, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1740: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Tippecanoe County
Tippecanoe County had 92,794 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,152 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Dayton itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Public schools in Dayton
1 public school with 396 students, about 16.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton Elementary School | K-5 | 396 | 16.5 |
Towns near Dayton
- Lafayette, IN5.0 mi · 70,783 people · home $172,800
- Mulberry, IN6.0 mi · 1,231 people · home $142,900
- West Lafayette, IN9.2 mi · 44,595 people · home $350,000
- Clarks Hill, IN9.2 mi · 600 people · home $93,600
- Rossville, IN9.9 mi · 1,508 people · home $186,800
- Battle Ground, IN10.0 mi · 1,838 people · home $277,600
- Shadeland, IN10.2 mi · 1,757 people · home $270,000
- Colfax, IN13.7 mi · 702 people · home $130,100
Dayton questions
Is Dayton, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dayton scores better for retirees than 10% of Indiana towns and quieter than 37%. 16.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.9).
How much does a house cost in Dayton?
The median owner-occupied home in Dayton is valued at $176,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,289, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $947 a month.
What is the weather like in Dayton?
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 17.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.8 inches of precipitation a year and 20.5 inches of snow.
Does Dayton get tornadoes?
45 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dayton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 11, 1965. The typical Indiana town has had 23.
- 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)