Dayton, Montana Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 88, 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 Montana, within Lake County. The total population is 88. It ranks as the 334th most populous out of 475 Census-designated places in Montana.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dayton is 67.2 years. This is 66% higher than the state median of 40.4 years. 23.9% 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 $100,313. This is 38% higher than the state median of $72,509. It is also 24% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.8%. This is 41% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.5%. The unemployment rate is 19.1%. This is 426% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $1,250,000. Housing costs are 233% higher than the state median of $375,800. The home-value-to-income ratio of 12.5x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 66.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% lower than the state average of 69.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Dayton has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.0% of all residents.

Education

54.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Dayton in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 54% higher than the state rate of 35.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 33.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Dayton, Montana 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 Montana state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 475 Census-designated places in Montana. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.