Dayton, Tennessee
Dayton is a city of 7,625 people in Rhea County, Tennessee, founded in 1820.
Why visit Dayton
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 10 parks and trails, 26 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Dutchmans Knob, Rhea County Courthouse, Broyles-Darwin House and Blue Water Resort.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 28°F.
Weather in Dayton
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Dayton
Dayton is a city in and the county seat of Rhea County, Tennessee, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 7,065. The Dayton Urban Cluster includes developed areas adjacent to the city and extends south to Graysville.
From the Wikipedia article Dayton, Tennessee (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks7
Rhea County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Tennessee
Broyles-Darwin House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Building in Tennessee, United States
Dr. Walter Thomison House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
House in Dayton, United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds10
Restaurants and cafes26
Carrabelle's
Restaurant · Burger, Pizza, American · 1.9 mi
4370 Rhea County Highway, Dayton
11:00-21:00
MoMo's Bar BQ
Restaurant · American, Barbecue · 1.1 mi
7481 Rhea County Highway, Dayton
Mo-Fr 10:45-20:00; Sa 10:45-16:00; Su off
Scooter's Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.8 mi
126 Florida Avenue, Dayton
Mo-Fr 05:30-20:00; Sa-Su 06:00-20:00
Dayton Coffee Shop
Restaurant · American, Coffee Shop
280 2nd Avenue
Su 10:30-15:00; Mo-Tu 10:30-20:00; We-Fr 07:00-20:00
Harmony House Coffee
Cafe
378 1st Avenue, Dayton
Mo-Fr 07:00-17:00
Screen Door Cafe
Diner · American · 0.9 mi
449 Delaware Avenue, Dayton
Tu-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 10:30-15:00
Vietnamese Bistro
Restaurant · Asian, Vietnamese · 1.6 mi
200 Able Drive, Dayton
Mo-Sa 11:00-21:00
Bamboo Garden Buffet
Restaurant · 1.1 mi
120 Locust Street
Tu-Th 10:30-21:30; Fr-Sa 10:30-22:30; Su 11:00-21:30
Zombie Ice Cream
Ice cream · 1.2 mi
1423 Maley Hollow Road
Mar-Oct: Mo-Su,PH 13:00-21:00
Jacob Myers Restaurant on the River
Diner · American
185 Chickamauga Drive, Dayton
14 more on the map.
History
The community was originally settled circa 1820 as Smith's Crossroads. In 1877, the town was renamed Dayton, after Dayton, Ohio. The town was incorporated in 1903. Early industry included manufacture of pig iron.
From the History section of Dayton, Tennessee on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship18
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Healthcare2
Map of Dayton
90 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°F | 28°F | 5.2 in | 0.3 in |
| Feb | 52°F | 31°F | 5.1 in | 0.6 in |
| Mar | 61°F | 38°F | 5.3 in | 0.4 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 46°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 78°F | 55°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 63°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 67°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 66°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 60°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 71°F | 48°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 59°F | 37°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 50°F | 31°F | 6.0 in | 0.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Dayton 2Se (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Rhea County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-02-06: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-02: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2023-09-27: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado (Severe Storm)
- 2023-05-17: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
McMinn County Airport (MMI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 26 miles away.
- Soddy-Daisy 19 mi southwest, about 30 min by car
- Cleveland 23 mi south, about 37 min by car
- Athens 23 mi east, about 37 min by car
- Middle Valley 24 mi southwest, about 38 min by car
- Benton 30 mi southeast, about 48 min by car
- Collegedale 31 mi south, about 49 min by car
- Red Bank 31 mi southwest, about 50 min by car
- Crossville 32 mi north, about 51 min by car
- Chattanooga 33 mi southwest, about 52 min by car
- East Ridge 37 mi south, about 59 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Dayton - Rhea County Courthouse - 20220607143955, Riis2602, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Dayton - Rhea County Courthouse - 20220607150932, Riis2602, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Dayton - Rhea County Courthouse - 20220607144217, Riis2602, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rhea County CourtHouse, Dayton, TN, HrAtsuo, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rhea County Courthouse, GWC2025, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Scopes trial historical marker, Bneu2013, CC BY 4.0
- Scopes trial historical marker cropped, Bneu2013, CC BY 4.0
- Courthouse Museum, GWC2025, CC BY-SA 4.0
- View from back corner, GWC2025, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Courtroom entrance view, GWC2025, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Courtroom, Judges view, GWC2025, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Just inside courtroom, GWC2025, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ISS063-E-106275 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS063-E-106274 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-241697 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- The Broyles-Darwin House Circa 1860, Congioloso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dr. Walter Thomison House, Nyttend, Public domain
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