According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2), all of it land.

The first settler in Dayton was Daniel Harrison (c. 1702–1770), whose family settled along Cooks Creek, north of downtown.

Daniel was the eldest son of Isaiah Harrison and second wife Abigail and was born in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York.

Daniel's brother Thomas Harrison founded Harrisonburg several miles to the northeast.

They and their three brothers had migrated from New York to Delaware and then to Orange County Virginia before settling in the Shenandoah Valley.

[5] The family homestead, a two-story stone house, has been owned and maintained since 1977 by a private, non-profit organization, Fort Harrison, Inc.[6] The town was known as Rifeville or Rifetown[7] until 1833.

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

[14] The city is a setting in the music video for "Cheer Up" by the Korean pop group Twice.

[15] The video depicts Chaeyoung performing outside (on a set) with a Dayton town sign, while dressed as a cowgirl.