Dayton, Illinois Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 271, 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 Illinois, within LaSalle County. The total population is 271. It ranks as the 1114th most populous out of 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dayton is 55.5 years. This is 42% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. Only 14.0% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dayton is $73,750. This is 12% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 9% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.5%. This is 28% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 2.3%. This is 60% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $271,000. Housing costs are 3% higher than the state median of $263,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.7x. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 49% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Dayton has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 98.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (98.5% vs 58.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 18.8%.

Education

37.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 1% lower than the state rate of 37.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.4%. Notably, 18.9% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Dayton, Illinois 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 Illinois state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.