South Dayton, New York Demographics & Population 2026

Name: South Dayton, New York Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, South Dayton, New York had a total population of 543, the 1034th largest village in New York, with a median household income of $40,000, which is 53% lower than the state average. The poverty rate is 35.6%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Key Takeaways

Household income is 53% below the state average, indicating significant economic challenges.
More than 1 in 4 residents live below the poverty line (35.6%), well above the national average of 12.4%.
Housing is very affordable with a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x.

South Dayton Quick Facts

Population 543

Median Household Income $40,000

Median Home Value $67,300

Poverty Rate 35.6%

Unemployment Rate 4.9%

Median Age 42.8 years

Homeownership Rate 73.5%

Affordability Ratio 1.7x

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.4%

High School Graduation Rate 81.7%

Diversity Index 6/100

Population 543 1034th of 1,289

Median Income $40,000 bottom 10%

Poverty Rate 35.6% 186% higher than national

Median Home Value $67,300 bottom 10%

How South Dayton Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	519	543	+4.6%
Median household income	$51,250	$40,000	-22.0%
Median home value	$68,800	$67,300	-2.2%

How South Dayton Compares

Median Household Income

South Dayton

$40,000

$85,974

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

South Dayton

$67,300

$423,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 28.7%

$25K-$50K 26.1%

$50K-$100K 30.0%

$100K+ 15.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

11.3%

$10K-$15K

11.3%

$15K-$20K

1.3%

$20K-$25K

4.8%

$25K-$30K

7.0%

$30K-$35K

12.2%

$35K-$40K

2.2%

$40K-$45K

2.6%

$45K-$50K

2.2%

$50K-$60K

6.1%

$60K-$75K

11.3%

$75K-$100K

12.6%

$100K-$125K

9.6%

$125K-$150K

2.2%

$150K-$200K

3.5%

$200K+

0.0%

Employment

4.9% Unemployment Rate State: 6.4%|National: 5.2%

49.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 73.5%

Renter 26.5%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $794/mo 23.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

25.8%

18-34

19.9%

35-54

19.5%

55-74

30.8%

75+

4.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 65 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

South Dayton Rankings in New York

#1034 Population of 1,289

#1192 Median Income of 1,219

#1225 Education of 1,288

#1227 Home Value of 1,232

Explore New York Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Other Cities in Cattaraugus County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Olean	13,738	$51,261	26.7%	$86,100
Salamanca	5,846	$41,667	24.4%	$80,900
St. Bonaventure	1,976	N/A	19.3%	$125,300
Franklinville	1,938	$72,115	15.2%	$97,100
Allegany	1,740	$70,625	16.6%	$164,100
Weston Mills	1,431	$79,712	7.8%	$155,300
Delevan	1,275	$64,194	16.7%	$116,300
Little Valley	1,243	$44,655	28.2%	$101,200
Yorkshire	1,138	N/A	33.1%	N/A
Cattaraugus	1,034	$60,341	14.3%	$71,200

Cities Similar to South Dayton

These cities in the same state have comparable population and economic profiles.

City	Population	Median Income	Home Value	Bachelor's+	Poverty
Altona	544	$39,000	$187,500	6.0%	50.8%
Bridgewater	543	$35,694	$80,000	10.3%	28.7%
Barker	590	N/A	$175,000	13.4%	29.7%
Silver Springs	558	$46,000	$90,400	4.4%	10.0%
Mountain Dale	499	$41,250	$169,800	37.1%	10.0%

A note before these figures: with a population of 543, South 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

South Dayton is a small community located in New York, within Cattaraugus County. The total population is 543. It ranks as the 1034th most populous out of 1,289 Census-designated places in New York.

Age Demographics

The median age in South Dayton is 42.8 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 39.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in South Dayton is $40,000. This is 53% lower than the state median of $85,974. It is also 50% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 35.6%. This is 154% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 4.9%. This is 23% lower than the state rate of 6.4%. The median home value is $67,300. Housing costs are 84% lower than the state median of $423,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x, South Dayton is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 73.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 35% higher than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

South Dayton has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 97.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (97.0% vs 52.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 19.8%.

Education

10.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 74% lower than the state rate of 40.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 81.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for South Dayton, New York 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 New York state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,289 Census-designated places in New York. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of South Dayton, New York?

South Dayton, New York has a population of 543 according to the most recent U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median household income in South Dayton, NY?

The median household income in South Dayton is $40,000, which is 50% lower than the national median of $80,734.

What is the poverty rate in South Dayton, NY?

The poverty rate in South Dayton is 35.6%. This means approximately 190 residents live below the federal poverty line.

What is the racial makeup of South Dayton, New York?

South Dayton's population is 97.0% White, 0.0% Black, 0.9% Hispanic/Latino, and 0.0% Asian.

What is the median home value in South Dayton, NY?

The median home value in South Dayton is $67,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 1.7x.

How educated is South Dayton, New York?

10.4% of adults (25+) in South Dayton hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and 3.3% hold a graduate or professional degree.