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Living in
Dayton.
Dayton is an unincorporated community in Lyon County, NV. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Dayton
Dayton sits just 12 miles east of Carson City in a quiet pocket of western Nevada where you can actually afford to buy a home—median values around $433,200 with median household income hitting $102,819—but you're trading some job diversity for that affordability and small-town peace. The job market here is modest, centered around retail, accommodation and food service, and light manufacturing, so unless you're remote or willing to commute into Carson City (about 30-40 minutes), you'll want to research employment carefully before moving. The climate involves hot, dry summers and cold winters typical of high-elevation Nevada, so you're committing to significant temperature swings and isolation during heavy winter weather.
Dayton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
44.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.2%
Foreign-Born
5.4%
Broadband Internet
96.8%
of households
Median household income
Demographics5.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Dayton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Dayton, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (62.1%), and 10.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.6%
of residents
65 and Older
22.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
36.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
18.2%
of households
Married Couples
58.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.70
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for NV
Rent, home values, and income in Dayton
Rent and home values here are close to the NV average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
32.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
101.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,846
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
79.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2002
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $459,263 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below NV average
Unemployment in Dayton
Unemployment in Lyon County, which includes Dayton, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the NV average.
Unemployment rate
Dayton: Lyon County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Lyon County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Dayton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute30.8 min avg
How Dayton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Dayton, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 52% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 20 mi
Reno Tahoe International Airport (RNO)
Small hub2.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 113 mi
Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
Medium hub6.8M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 11% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Lyon County Sheriff's Office, which covers Dayton, runs 11% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
292.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
579.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Lyon County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 33 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
71.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lyon County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lyon County, which includes Dayton, the most common type is high wind, with 33 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 39 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 35 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 45 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 30 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 23 | High Wind | Not estimated |
| 2019 | 19 | High Wind | Not estimated |
| 2018 | 33 | High Wind | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
199 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lyon County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lyon County, which includes Dayton, is typically good — 323 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
323
per year
Moderate Days
36
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Lyon County, county-wide
Climate86°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Dayton has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
63°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/52°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/37°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
47°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
15.2"
Annual Snowfall
14.0"
Hot Days/Year
40
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
146
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
38
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 24°F | 1.72" |
| Feb | 50°F | 27°F | 1.48" |
| Mar | 56°F | 32°F | 1.24" |
| Apr | 62°F | 36°F | 0.51" |
| May | 70°F | 43°F | 0.51" |
| Jun | 81°F | 49°F | 0.37" |
| Jul | 90°F | 55°F | 0.18" |
| Aug | 88°F | 53°F | 0.14" |
| Sep | 81°F | 46°F | 0.24" |
| Oct | 68°F | 36°F | 0.55" |
| Nov | 55°F | 28°F | 0.90" |
| Dec | 45°F | 24°F | 1.50" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Dayton
Uninsured
6.8%
of residents
No hospitals inside Dayton's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.6 mi away · Carson City
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education19.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Dayton
Dayton's student/teacher ratio is 19.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 20.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
20.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Dayton (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 1,910 students · in-state tuition $4,445 · 37% graduate · median earnings $47,506 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Yosemite National Park, 96 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Dayton
Dayton has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Yosemite National Park (96 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Yosemite National Park
National Park
96 mi awayPublic Libraries in Dayton
Dayton Valley Branch Library
321 Old Dayton Valley Road, Dayton
Cities Near Dayton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Dayton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Dayton FAQ
Is Dayton, Nevada affordable?⌄
Dayton's median rent is $1,521/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $102,819/year. Median home value is $433,200.
Is Dayton, Nevada safe?⌄
Dayton is policed by the Lyon County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 293 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 579 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Dayton, Nevada?⌄
Lyon County, which includes Dayton, has an unemployment rate of 4.8%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Dayton, Nevada?⌄
The cost of living in Dayton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,521/month and median household income is $102,819/year. The median home value is $433,200. About 33% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Dayton, Nevada?⌄
The average commute in Dayton is 31 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from