Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Dayton’s subject grades is a B+ for history; the weakest is a D for incomes. Dayton’s average trip to work is 35 minutes, against 25 minutes in New York’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. On health, just 49 of New York’s 1,213 towns do worse. Dayton's schools rank behind 69% of the state's. On the outdoors, just 71 of New York’s 1,216 towns do worse. Dayton has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Dayton beats most towns.
1,886 counted in 2010 and 1,690 in 2020; an estimated 1,637 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Dayton is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 946 in 1840, 1,689 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1971 and 4 maps from 1923 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Dayton, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Dayton.
17% of Dayton adults report frequent physical distress, where New York’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 14%. 23% of Dayton adults say their health is fair or poor. Dayton beats the New York average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 20.
| Dayton | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 13% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 25% | 25% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 17% | 19% |
| What stands out | Dayton | NY |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 10.5% | 6% |
| More smokers | 18.8% | 11.3% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.5% | 6.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Most working residents leave Dayton for work: only 3% work in town. 18% of residents live below the poverty line in Dayton. Since 2013, Dayton has lost 31 jobs, to 163 in 2023.
| Dayton | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.9% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Dayton has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Dayton’s July high is 80°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 66% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The median rent in Dayton is $907 a month.
| Dayton | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 83% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $907 a month | $1,101 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Dayton. Close and well known come first.
Big draw29 mi Stadium & arenaHighmark Stadium
Big draw29 mi Stadium & arenaRalph Wilson Stadium
26 mi WaterfallEternal Flame Falls
35 mi Stadium & arenaKeyBank Center
35 mi MuseumUSS The Sullivans
35 mi Stadium & arenaSahlen FieldHighmark Stadium: James161723, CC0 · Ralph Wilson Stadium: User Evilarry on en.wikipedia, Public domain · Eternal Flame Falls: Mpmajewski, CC BY-SA 3.0 · KeyBank Center: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0 · USS The Sullivans: Unknown, Public domain · Sahlen Field: Quintinsoloviev, CC BY-SA 4.0
None within 15 miles of Dayton; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Dayton residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
Where Dayton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in New York, United States
Dayton is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,689 at the 2020 census. The town is on the western border of Cattaraugus County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
4 towns share a border with Dayton.
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton | — | — | B− | — | C | C− |
| Perrysburg | — | — | C+ | — | C+ | C |
| Persia | — | — | A− | — | C+ | C− |
| Leon | — | — | B | — | C− | C− |
| Villenova | — | — | B− | — | C | C |
Dayton, Perrysburg, Persia, Leon and Villenova have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Dayton, Perrysburg, Persia, Leon and Villenova report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Dayton with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
That is 1.9 years of the area's median household income ($59,540 across the Olean, NY area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
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