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Relocation profile · Federal data

Dalton, GA

LiveAbility 61.7/100 places Dalton #36 of 387 (top third of scored metros).

89.8
Cost index (US=100)
$1,009
2BR rent / mo
$61,662
Median salary
61.7
LiveAbility Score

The verdict

As of June 2026, Dalton ranks #36 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (61.7/100), with its strongest marks in housing and cost of living.

#36
of 387 US metros · Excellent
11,180,878
metro-area population
300
violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
2,315
schools in the state (NCES)

Weakest dimension: job market (24/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.

According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Dalton ranks #36 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 89.8 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,009/mo, median salary $61,662; LiveAbility Score 61.7/100, strongest in housing and cost of living.

Signature: LiveAbility 61.7/100 places Dalton #36 of 387 (top third of scored metros).

Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 89.8 lands in the cheaper third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $1,009/mo.

LiveAbility 61.7/100 puts Dalton in the top third (#36 of 387).

BLS OEWS total employment in the Dalton area is 59,390.

Dalton vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score

Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)

62 Top 10% higher than 90% of 387 US metros

Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026

Dalton housing and rent

HUD Fair Market Rents for the Dalton MSA; housing RPP 63.3 (100 = national average); 2BR $1,009/mo.

Studio
$726
/month
1 Bedroom
$827
/month
2 Bedroom
$1,009
/month
3 Bedroom
$1,403
/month
4 Bedroom
$1,687
/month

Dalton wages and employment

Dalton posts 59,390 total employment with median salary $61,662 against a cheaper-than-average RPP.

Median Salary
$61,662
Mean Salary
$65,025
Total Employment
59,390

Top Occupations by Employment

Occupation Median Salary
Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders $38,670
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $37,040
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators $37,930
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $53,760
Fast Food and Counter Workers $23,400

Schools & Education

State-level education data for the Dalton area from NCES.

Schools
2,315
Enrollment
1,738,641
Student:Teacher
14.4:1
Title I %
0%

Childcare Costs

State-average childcare costs for the Dalton area (DOL data).

Infant (Center)
$6,591
per year
Toddler (Center)
$6,153
per year
Preschool (Center)
$6,034
per year

Life Score Breakdown

Dalton's composite Life Score is 58.6/100 (C-), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.

Cost
75/100
Strong
Wages
24/100
Weak
Rent
92/100
Elite
Crime
55/100
Above average
Schools
33/100
Weak
Childcare
96/100
Elite
Environment
39/100
Below average

LiveAbility Score

View full rankings →

Dalton ranks #36 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 61.7/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →

Strongest dimension: Housing (92/100)

Dalton - dimension scores

Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)

score

What this shows Dalton's strongest dimensions are housing and cost of living; its weakest among scored dims is job market at 24/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.

Source BEA · BLS · HUD · FBI · NCES · EPA · NOAA · FEMA As of Federal data, latest available vintage

Compare Dalton to

Albany-Schenectady-Troy Albuquerque Alexandria Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton Altoona Amarillo

Metros near Dalton on cost, LiveAbility, or wages

Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Dalton on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.

Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)

Similar LiveAbility score

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Dalton cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Dalton wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.

Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →

Thinking about Dalton?

Dalton runs a $61,662 median salary at a 89.8 cost index, ranking #36 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.

  • See exactly what Dalton's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
  • Put Dalton head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Dalton
  • Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
  • A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide

Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.