Dayton is a city in Liberty County,

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, United States. The population was 8,777 at the 2020 census.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which all but is land.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Dayton has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 8,777 people, 2,892 households, and 2,115 families residing in the city. As of the census of 2000, there were 5,709 people, 2,129 households, and 1,517 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,371 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 71.08%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 19.69%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.44% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 6.67% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 10.53% of the population. There were 2,129 households, out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.18. In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $52,179, and the median income for a family was $47,250. Males had a median income of $39,075 versus $21,068 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $29,123. About 16.3% of families and 21.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 33.6% of those under age 18 and 15.8% of those age 65 or over.

History

Dayton was historically also called West Liberty, Day's Town, Days Station, and Dayton Station. It was founded in 1831 as West Liberty, situated three miles west of the Trinity River, with

Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...

on the east bank. It had a West Liberty post office from 1839–1841 and a Dayton post office, starting in 1877. Dayton was originally a part of the City of Liberty, but voters petitioned and voted to separate from the City of Liberty in 1898. Dayton incorporated in May 1911. A fire that devoured the center of town in late August 1911 was followed a few days later by a vote to disincorporate. Dayton voted to reincorporated on November 28, 1925.

Government and infrastructure

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates the Dayton District Parole Office in Dayton. In addition, the TDCJ operates some correctional facilities near the City limits of Dayton. The L.V. Hightower Unit prison and the Dempsie Henley Unit and Lucille G. Plane Unit prisons are north of the downtown area of Dayton.Hightower Unit
." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010.Henley Unit
." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010.Plane Unit
." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...

operates the Dayton Post Office. The District 18 seat in the

Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. There are no Term limits in the United States, term limits. The ...

is currently held by republican Ernest Bailes. The city of Dayton operates under a typical

council–manager government The council–manager government is a form of local government commonly used for municipalities and counties in the United States and Ireland, in New Zealand regional councils, and in Canadian municipalities. In the council-manager government, ...

with five elected members, and a mayor elected at-large. All six are non-partisan and unpaid, elected for two and three year terms, staggered so three positions are up for election each year. The current mayor is Martin Mudd elected in 2023. His current term will expire in 2026. Executive power is vested in the council-appointed city manager, currently City Manager Kimberly Judge. City Administration also includes a Deputy City Manager Derek Woods. The Dayton Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), a type B Economic Development entity, provides economic development and community development services to the greater Dayton, Texas region. DEDC has invested over $3 Million in the local business community since its creation in 1996.

Transportation

Highways

The major route passing through Dayton is U.S. Highway 90, traveling west towards Crosby and

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

and east into

East Texas East Texas is a broadly defined cultural, geographic, and ecological region in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas that consists of approximately 38 counties. It is roughly divided into Northeast Texas, Northeast, Southeast Texas, Sout ...

to Beaumont and onward to

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

. SH 321 connects Dayton to

Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...

. Within the city of Dayton, SH 321 is referred to as North Cleveland Street, passing through residential Dayton as a four-lane urban highway, before narrowing back down to a two-lane rural State Highway going north to Cleveland. SH 146 provides Dayton with a connection to Baytown. FM 1960 connects Dayton to the northern reaches of

as well as Humble and Huffman. FM 1409 connects Dayton to Old River-Winfree. Grand Parkway (SH 99) is a loop toll road that intersects with US 90 and connects Dayton with other outer areas of

Greater Houston Greater Houston, designated by the Office of Management and Budget, United States Office of Management and Budget as Houston–Pasadena–The Woodlands, is the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fifth-most populous metropolitan statistical ...

Railroads

Dayton is the meeting point of two rail lines. One is a north/south Union Pacific (UP) line that comes out of the UP Baytown Subdivision. The other is the east/west UP Lafayette Subdivision line that roughly follows US 90. The

BNSF BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that provide ...

has authority to operate its trains on the Baytown Subdivision from Dayton to just west of Baytown and has a rail yard just south of Dayton. Another rail line runs through the northern edge of the city, called the UP Beaumont Subdivision. A study was performed by the Texas Department of Transportation concerning a Dayton-to-Cleveland single mainline rail corridor consisting of approximately 40 miles of track connecting the UP Lufkin Subdivision and the BNSF Conroe Subdivision near Cleveland to the UPRR Baytown Subdivision south of Dayton.

Education

The city of Dayton is served by the Dayton Independent School District. Dayton ISD students are zoned to

Lee College Lee College is a public community college in Baytown, Texas. Lee College's main campus occupies near downtown Baytown and extension campuses throughout its service area. The school has an enrollment of over 7,773 total students as of Fall 2018 ...

. The community is served by the Jones Public Library. The Jones Library Board is an advisory board appointed by the Dayton City Council.

Notable people

* Don Brown, football player * Bill Daniel, governor of the United States Territory of

Guam Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...

* Marion Price Daniel, Sr., Texas governor"Texas Giant: The Life of Price Daniel", by Dan Murph * Julie Kocurek, attorney and judge * Mike Mabry,

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

center * John Otto, American politician * Aaron Ripkowski, football player

References

External links

www.dayton-online.com
– Dayton's Online Community. {{authority control Cities in Texas Cities in Liberty County, Texas Greater Houston Populated places established in 1911