The Town Files

Dalton, Ohio

Village in Wayne County · population 1,927 (2020 Census)

Map: where Dalton is in OhioDalton
Median home
$183,300
Household income
$68,571
Jan low / Jul high
18° / 82°
Snow a year
29 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
16
Median age
44.0

Dalton is a village of 1,927 people in Wayne County, Ohio. The median home is worth $183,300, above the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks better for retirees than 82% of Ohio towns, better for young professionals than 80% of Ohio towns, easier by car than 77% of Ohio towns.

How Dalton ranks

Percentile among Ohio towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Ohio towns.

Dalton lifestyle rankings vs other Ohio townsRetirement82nd pctFamilies64th pctQuiet29th pctWalkability40th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals80th pctVibrancy38th pctHip & trendy67th pctCollege town62nd pctUpscale71st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving77th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Dalton is worth $183,300, above the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $68,571, which is more affordable than 48% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $854 a month. 74.8% of households own their home.

Dalton vs Wayne County vs typical Ohio townDaltonWayne CountyTypical Ohio townHome value$183,300$222,100$171,100Household income$68,571$73,574$67,019Monthly rent$854$881$914
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Ohio towns with 500+ people.
HousingDaltonTypical Ohio town
Median home value$183,300$171,100
Median rent$854$914
Median household income$68,571$67,019
Home value ÷ income2.7×2.6×
Homeownership74.8%71.7%
Median year built19901965
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Dalton

PeopleDaltonTypical Ohio town
Median age44.040.6
Age 65 and over27.9%19.1%
Under 1824.0%—
Bachelor's degree or higher31.5%21.3%
Below the poverty line4.1%10.3%
Veterans8.9%—
Born outside the U.S.1.8%—
Work from home5.9%8.6%
Average commute21.4 min23.3 min
Homes with broadband81.2%90.9%

Weather in Dalton

July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 18.0°F. About 36.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.3 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 129 nights at or below freezing.

Dalton monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing34°18°Jan37°20°Feb47°28°Mar60°38°Apr71°48°May79°57°Jun82°61°Jul80°58°Aug74°50°Sep63°41°Oct49°32°Nov38°24°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.48.81.95.22.85.83.60.83.84.03.73.53.22.90.22.52.02.46.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Wooster Wayne Co Ap station (10.9 mi away); snow from Marshallville 1 Ssw (6.0 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dalton since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on September 16, 2010 about 2.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 5, 2025.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Dalton by decade01950s11960s11970s21980s21990s42000s42010s22020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 10, 1980.

Severe weather in Wayne County since 1996

Storm events in Wayne County since 1996 by typeHail122Flood9Drought5Tornado14High Wind42Lightning4Heavy Snow5Flash Flood27
NOAA Storm Events Database, Wayne County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Wayne County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 31, 2020BiologicalDR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3457: Covid-19
June 30, 2012Severe StormEM-3346: Severe Storms
September 13, 2005HurricaneEM-3250: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
February 15, 2005Severe StormDR-1580: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides

Jobs and pay in Wayne County

Wayne County had 48,515 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,609 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Dalton itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.

Largest industries in Wayne CountyManufacturing13,921 jobs · $69,375Retail5,328 jobs · $35,559Health care & social assistan…5,322 jobs · $51,973Hotels & restaurants3,371 jobs · $20,986Construction2,540 jobs · $65,713Company management1,628 jobs · $138,869
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Wayne County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Wayne 2.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Dalton

3 public schools with 921 students, about 18.1 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Dalton Elementary SchoolK-435517.8
Dalton High School9-1229218.3
Dalton Middle School5-827418.3

Towns near Dalton

Dalton questions

Is Dalton, Ohio a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dalton scores better for retirees than 82% of Ohio towns and quieter than 29%. 27.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.0).

How much does a house cost in Dalton?

The median owner-occupied home in Dalton is valued at $183,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,571, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $854 a month.

What is the weather like in Dalton?

July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 18.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.9 inches of precipitation a year and 29.3 inches of snow.

Does Dalton get tornadoes?

16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dalton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on September 16, 2010. The typical Ohio town has had 16.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Dalton's Census boundary (GEOID 3919974). Comparisons use the median of Ohio towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.