Dayton, Idaho Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 500, Dayton's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Dayton is a small community located in Idaho, within Franklin County. The total population is 500. It ranks as the 145th most populous out of 232 Census-designated places in Idaho.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dayton is 34.5 years. This is 8% lower than the state median of 37.3 years. With 30.4% of the population under 18, Dayton has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community. 10.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dayton is $82,083. This is 6% higher than the state median of $77,800. It is also 2% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 2.8%. This is 73% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 3.8%. This is 2% higher than the state rate of 3.7%. The median home value is $308,300. Housing costs are 26% lower than the state median of $418,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.8x. 93.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 30% higher than the state average of 72.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Dayton has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 13.7%.

Education

30.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 4% lower than the state rate of 31.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 96.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Dayton, Idaho is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Idaho state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 232 Census-designated places in Idaho. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.