The city's nickname is "Gateway to Fort Rucker", as this U.S. Army post is located just north of town.

Cairns Army Airfield is located to the south of Daleville on the road to nearby Clayhatchee.

[3] Residents of the town formed portions of two regiments of the Confederate States Army during the U.S. Civil War: the 15th Alabama Infantry,[4] famed for charging the 20th Maine on Little Round Top during the Battle of Gettysburg, and the 33rd Alabama Infantry.

Long a tiny farming community, Daleville saw significant expansion during the mid-to-late twentieth century with the establishment and enlargement of Fort Novosel, the U.S. Army's primary aviation training post.

Securing a 1.5 million dollar loan, the trio purchased 400 acres (1.6 km2) of land in Daleville, constructed a lagoon sewer system and began to build the town house by house, shopping center by shopping center.

[7] Numerous military personnel then made their homes in the community, and many elected to stay after their retirement or otherwise completing their service obligation.

Two restaurants and two industrial buildings were destroyed; a local lounge suffered severe damage as well.

Also damaged were maintenance buildings, one aircraft, 25 businesses, a church, gas station, two supermarkets, a bank and several homes.

Daleville is the northern terminus of Alabama State Route 85, which runs south from the city 23 miles (37 km) to Geneva.

Alabama State Route 134 runs east from Daleville 7 miles (11 km) toward Newton; westbound 134 joins U.S. 84 to continue on to Enterprise.

The city council in 2020 is Kevin Turley, Jo Reese, Katheryne Horace, Jimmy Monk, Sr, and Alan Souders.

[14] The city is located in Alabama's Second Congressional District; its current representative (as of 2021) is Barry Moore (R).

[15] Utilities are provided through Alabama Power and the Pea River Co-op (Electricity), the city water department (water), Southeast Alabama Gas District (natural gas), CenturyLink (telephone/internet/video), Time Warner Cable (telephone/internet/video) and Troy Cable (telephone/internet/video).

All three are provided by the Daleville Department of Public Safety led by Director John Crawford.

Its rifle team has won seventeen state championships and numerous local competitions.