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Living in
Dalton.
About
Life in Dalton
Dalton offers an affordable place to live in a region with genuine outdoor access—you're in the Blue Ridge foothills with national parks and preserves within an hour's drive, though the town itself is very much suburban and car-dependent rather than a hiking destination. The job market is steady with a 3.9% unemployment rate, and housing costs are reasonable: median home values around $222,000 and rent averaging $996 a month, with a median household income of $63,577. The summers are hot and humid—expect 38 days a year hitting 90 degrees or higher—and winters are mild but will see some freezing nights.
Dalton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.6%
Foreign-Born
28.9%
Broadband Internet
86.7%
of households
Population Growth
+2.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics28.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Dalton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Dalton, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (58.3%), and 44.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.3%
of residents
65 and Older
13.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.6%
of households
Married Couples
40.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.69
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 28% below GA average
Rent, home values, and income in Dalton
In Dalton, rent runs 28% below the GA average, and home values are 27% below the GA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
89.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,637
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
52.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1982
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $238,676 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts above GA average
Unemployment in Dalton
Unemployment in Dalton is 0.7 percentage points higher than the GA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Dalton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.5 min avg
How Dalton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Dalton, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 84% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 23 mi
Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (Lovell Field) (CHA)
Small hub632k passengers boarded in 2025
- 84 mi
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Major hub51.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 33% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Dalton runs 33% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
219.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,495.4
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Dalton Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 7 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
81.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Whitfield County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Whitfield County, which includes Dalton, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 7 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $35,000 |
| 2024 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $51,000 |
| 2023 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $19,000 |
| 2022 | 1 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3,000 |
| 2021 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $59,000 |
| 2020 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $254,000 |
| 2019 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $66,000 |
| 2018 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $41,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Whitfield County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Murray County, GA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 13 miles from Dalton) is typically good — 232 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
232
per year
Moderate Days
24
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Murray County, GA (13 mi away)
Climate88°F summers, 32°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Dalton has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and mild winters (avg low 32°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
53°/32°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
38
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
63
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
88
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 30°F | 4.88" |
| Feb | 55°F | 33°F | 4.71" |
| Mar | 63°F | 40°F | 5.26" |
| Apr | 72°F | 47°F | 5.02" |
| May | 79°F | 56°F | 4.64" |
| Jun | 86°F | 64°F | 5.54" |
| Jul | 89°F | 68°F | 5.43" |
| Aug | 89°F | 67°F | 4.30" |
| Sep | 84°F | 60°F | 4.32" |
| Oct | 74°F | 48°F | 3.45" |
| Nov | 62°F | 38°F | 4.56" |
| Dec | 53°F | 33°F | 5.39" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Dalton
Dalton has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
20.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Hamilton Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Dalton
Dalton's student/teacher ratio is 12.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 24.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Dalton
Public · 4-year · 4,553 students · in-state tuition $3,376 · 36% graduate · median earnings $46,083 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, 22 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Dalton
Dalton has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park (22 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
National Military Park
22 mi awayLittle River Canyon National Preserve
National Preserve
44 mi awayRussell Cave National Monument
National Monument
50 mi awayKennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
60 mi awayChattahoochee River National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
66 mi awayMartin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park
National Historical Park
78 mi awayFreedom Riders National Monument
National Monument
95 mi awayObed Wild & Scenic River
Wild & Scenic River
95 mi awayPublic Libraries in Dalton
Dalton-Whitfield County Library
310 Cappes Street, Dalton
Cities Near Dalton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Dalton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Dalton FAQ
Is Dalton, Georgia affordable?⌄
Dalton's median rent is $996/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $63,577/year. Median home value is $222,400.
Is Dalton, Georgia safe?⌄
Dalton's violent crime rate was 219 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1495 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Dalton, Georgia?⌄
Dalton has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Dalton, Georgia?⌄
The cost of living in Dalton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $996/month and median household income is $63,577/year. The median home value is $222,400. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Dalton, Georgia?⌄
The average commute in Dalton is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from