Dayton's housing is defined by its historic stock. The downtown and surrounding residential streets hold a remarkable collection of late-1800s and early-1900s homes — Victorians, bungalows, and early craftsman houses — many within the city's national historic districts. Beyond the historic core, mid-century and newer homes spread through the valley, and rural acreage and farm properties ring the town. The market is small and steady, driven by resale of character homes and occasional infill rather than large subdivisions.

Dayton's layout centers on a historic downtown that anchors the city, with residential neighborhoods radiating outward along tree-lined streets. The three national historic districts preserve the town's finest blocks of Victorian and early twentieth-century homes near the courthouse and train depot. Farther out, newer homes and modest subdivisions give way to the farmland and ranch parcels of the Touchet Valley. The compact core keeps most neighborhoods within walking distance of downtown shops, schools, and the river.

Dayton's lifestyle is rooted in its identity as a small, historic county seat. The preserved downtown hosts local shops, a farmers-market culture, and community gatherings, while the working courthouse and county offices keep the town's civic life central. Recreation leans outdoors, with the Blue Mountains, the Touchet River, and Palouse Falls within reach, and the area's wineries add a taste of the region's newer economy. It is a quiet, neighborly way of life shaped by agriculture, history, and the surrounding landscape.

Dayton is served by its own public school district, with elementary, middle, and high school campuses in the city that also draw students from the surrounding rural county. As the seat of Washington's second-least populous county, the schools function as a central community hub, with events and athletics bringing families together. Walla Walla and the Tri-Cities provide the nearest larger educational and medical services.

Dayton lies in the Touchet Valley on the highway corridor linking Walla Walla and the Tri-Cities to the west with Lewiston, Idaho, to the east. The city's historic train depot recalls its railroad past, though travel today is by car, with the Blue Mountains and Palouse country reached by rural state routes. Walla Walla and the Tri-Cities provide the nearest regional airports and larger services.

Dayton's surroundings offer year-round outdoor recreation. The Blue Mountains, just south and east, provide hiking, camping, skiing at Bluewood, and forest access, while the Touchet River supports fishing and riverside walks. Palouse Falls, a dramatic state-park waterfall, lies within an easy drive to the north. The valley's wineries and the historic downtown add cultural stops, and the open wheat country offers scenic drives in every season.