The Town FilesDayton, Nevada
Community in Lyon County · population 15,153 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $433,200
- Household income
- $102,819
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 44.1
Dayton is a community of 15,153 people in Lyon County, Nevada. The median home is worth $433,200, above the typical Nevada town ($361,550). It ranks better for families than 76% of Nevada towns, more of a college town than 75% of Nevada towns, easier by car than 71% of Nevada towns.
How Dayton ranks
Percentile among Nevada towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Nevada towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Dayton is worth $433,200, above the typical Nevada town ($361,550). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $102,819, which is more affordable than 65% of Nevada towns. Median rent is $1,521 a month. 79.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dayton | Typical Nevada town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $433,200 | $361,550 |
| Median rent | $1,521 | $1,386 |
| Median household income | $102,819 | $78,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 4.9× |
| Homeownership | 79.9% | 72.5% |
| Median year built | 2002 | 1989 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.2% | — |
Who lives in Dayton
| People | Dayton | Typical Nevada town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 | 44.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.0% | 21.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 19.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.2% | 9.8% |
| Veterans | 13.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.4% | — |
| Work from home | 11.7% | 9.0% |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 24.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.8% | 92.1% |
Weather in Dayton
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 27.0°F. About 11.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 46.4 inches of snow (typical Nevada town: 16.7 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 120 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Dayton since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Nevada town. The strongest, an F0, struck on April 27, 2005 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 27, 2005.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 30, 1997.
Severe weather in Lyon County since 1996
Lyon County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 27, 2023 | Flood | DR-4708: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4523: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3443: Covid-19 |
| June 17, 2018 | Fire | FM-5242: Upper Colony Fire |
| February 17, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4303: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Lyon County
Lyon County had 13,744 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,903 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Dayton itself the ACS puts it at 6.8%.
Public schools in Dayton
5 public schools with 2,427 students, about 19.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton High School | 9-12 | 756 | 22.9 |
| Dayton Elementary School | PK-6 | 454 | 18.2 |
| Riverview Elementary School | PK-6 | 435 | 18.9 |
| Sutro Elementary School | PK-6 | 416 | 17.3 |
| Dayton Intermediate School | 7-8 | 366 | 21.5 |
Towns near Dayton
- Washoe Valley, NV12.5 mi · 3,074 people · home $609,700
- Carson City, NV13.6 mi · 58,639 people · home $453,000
- Johnson Lane, NV17.1 mi · 6,409 people · home $764,100
- Indian Hills, NV18.4 mi · 5,962 people · home $483,800
- Silver Springs, NV19.3 mi · 5,629 people · home $244,400
- Incline Village, NV21.5 mi · 9,462 people · home $1,454,600
- Sparks, NV22.8 mi · 108,445 people · home $483,800
- Minden, NV24.3 mi · 3,442 people · home $586,000
Dayton questions
Is Dayton, Nevada a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dayton scores better for retirees than 49% of Nevada towns and quieter than 53%. 22.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.1).
How much does a house cost in Dayton?
The median owner-occupied home in Dayton is valued at $433,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $102,819, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,521 a month.
What is the weather like in Dayton?
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 27.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.7 inches of precipitation a year and 46.4 inches of snow.
Does Dayton get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Dayton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on April 27, 2005. The typical Nevada town has had 1.
- 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)