The Town FilesDayton, Virginia
Town in Rockingham County · population 1,688 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $346,600
- Household income
- $75,769
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 19 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 37.1
Dayton is a town of 1,688 people in Rockingham County, Virginia. The median home is worth $346,600, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks better for families than 85% of Virginia towns, better for retirees than 84% of Virginia towns, more of a college town than 83% of Virginia towns.
How Dayton ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Dayton is worth $346,600, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $75,769, which is more affordable than 24% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $1,074 a month. 66.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dayton | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $346,600 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $1,074 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $75,769 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.6× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 66.9% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dayton
| People | Dayton | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.0% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.5% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.7% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.5% | — |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 15.7 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.1% | 91.8% |
Weather in Dayton
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 22.7°F. About 39.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 19.4 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 123 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dayton since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on April 28, 2011 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 28, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 15, 2025.
Severe weather in Rockingham County since 1996
Rockingham County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 4, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4863: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
| September 11, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3403: Hurricane Florence |
Jobs and pay in Rockingham County
Rockingham County had 35,104 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,264 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Dayton itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Dayton
2 public schools with 858 students, about 13.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilbur S. Pence Middle | 6-8 | 669 | 12.6 |
| Ottobine Elementary | PK-5 | 189 | 14.5 |
Towns near Dayton
- Belmont Estates, VA2.2 mi · 1,263 people · home $378,700
- Bridgewater, VA2.4 mi · 6,596 people · home $384,700
- Harrisonburg, VA3.9 mi · 51,814 people · home $299,100
- Massanetta Springs, VA6.1 mi · 6,384 people · home $467,700
- Weyers Cave, VA9.6 mi · 2,700 people · home $283,800
- Mount Sidney, VA11.3 mi · 678 people · home $348,800
- Massanutten, VA11.6 mi · 2,164 people · home $396,900
- McGaheysville, VA11.7 mi · 978 people · home $315,700
Dayton questions
Is Dayton, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dayton scores better for retirees than 84% of Virginia towns and quieter than 49%. 15.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Dayton?
The median owner-occupied home in Dayton is valued at $346,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,769, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $1,074 a month.
What is the weather like in Dayton?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 22.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.0 inches of precipitation a year and 19.4 inches of snow.
Does Dayton get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dayton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on April 28, 2011. The typical Virginia town has had 11.
- 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)