The Town FilesDayton, Wisconsin
Town in Richland County · population 763 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $242,400
- Household income
- $60,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 54.1
Dayton is a town of 763 people in Richland County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $242,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for retirees than 86% of Wisconsin towns, better transit than 78% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 75% of Wisconsin towns.
How Dayton ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Dayton is worth $242,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $60,625, which is more affordable than 13% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,118 a month. 69.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dayton | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $242,400 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,118 | $951 |
| Median household income | $60,625 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 69.0% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 14.2% | — |
Who lives in Dayton
| People | Dayton | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.1 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.2% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 9.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.5% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.8% | 89.1% |
Weather in Dayton
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 7.6°F. About 39.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.4 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dayton since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 3, 1964 about 5.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 22, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 18, 2025.
Severe weather in Richland County since 1996
Richland County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| October 18, 2018 | Flood | DR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| October 7, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4343: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud |
| October 20, 2016 | Flood | DR-4288: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Richland County
Richland County had 5,963 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,821 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Dayton itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Towns near Dayton
- Richland Center, WI5.3 mi · 5,114 people · home $158,300
- Marshall, WI6.0 mi · 540 people · home $237,500
- Richland, WI6.0 mi · 1,175 people · home $264,100
- Orion, WI8.1 mi · 541 people · home $236,400
- Rockbridge, WI8.1 mi · 697 people · home $277,300
- Sylvan, WI8.3 mi · 516 people · home $206,800
- Richwood, WI8.9 mi · 527 people · home $223,300
- Muscoda, WI10.7 mi · 1,307 people · home $133,600
Dayton questions
Is Dayton, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dayton scores better for retirees than 86% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 61%. 25.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.1).
How much does a house cost in Dayton?
The median owner-occupied home in Dayton is valued at $242,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,625, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,118 a month.
What is the weather like in Dayton?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 7.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.5 inches of precipitation a year and 40.4 inches of snow.
Does Dayton get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dayton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 3, 1964. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- 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)