Jobs, pay and daily life in Dalton, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Dalton is a city in Georgia with 34,538 residents. The median household earns $63,577 a year and the median rent is $996 a month, which is 18.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Dalton, GA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 65,300 jobs.
How Dalton compares. Among the 100 largest places in Georgia, Dalton is #36 by population, #99 for remote work (#1 = most), #2 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #13 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Whitfield County, is #32 of 159 counties for average pay ($54,855).
Dalton has 34,538 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Georgia. It covers 21 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,621 people per square mile. The median age is 33.7, 10% younger than the state median (33.7 against 37.6).
The median gross rent is $996 a month (rent plus utilities), 28% below the state median ($996 against $1,393). Over a year that is 18.8% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $222,400, which is 3.5 times the median household income ($63,577); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 52.4% of households own their home, 20% below the state average (52.4% against 65.7%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Dalton, GA metropolitan area has 65,300 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $42,210 a year, 17% below the national median ($42,210 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (13,900 jobs, median $39,260); transportation and material moving (8,740 jobs, median $37,990); office and administrative support (7,300 jobs, median $40,700). The area is most specialised in production (3.9 times) and transportation and material moving (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are office and administrative support ($40,700) and production ($39,260). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Whitfield County was 3.6%. 64.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Whitfield County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.4% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.0% walk, 4.8% work from home. 4.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 76% below the state average (4.8% against 19.8%).
24.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 30% below the state share (24.3% against 35.0%). 28.9% of residents were born outside the United States, 158% above the state share (28.9% against 11.2%). The poverty rate is 18.6%, 39% above the state rate (18.6% against 13.4%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 38°F (3.6°C). About 1,354 mm (53 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (140 mm) and Oct the driest (89 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Calhoun (19 miles, rent 12% lower); Collegedale (20 miles, rent 59% higher); East Ridge (21 miles, rent 15% higher); Chattanooga (26 miles, rent 26% higher). Rent differences are against Dalton; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Georgia (1,099) →State guide: GeorgiaCountry guideWhitfield CountyGeorgia rankings
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There are 1,099 federal postings open in Georgia (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Georgia →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,470 | 1.99 | $37,040 | $26,820 | $46,070 | -8% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 2,000 | 6.15 | $37,930 | $33,180 | $42,280 | -18% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,540 | 1.78 | $53,760 | $38,160 | $73,050 | -8% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,530 | 0.94 | $23,400 | $20,160 | $33,210 | -25% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,360 | 0.83 | $29,140 | $21,760 | $48,620 | -18% |
| Cashiers | 1,350 | 1.04 | $27,260 | $20,490 | $32,280 | -17% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,170 | 0.79 | $94,050 | $45,440 | $211,950 | -11% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,120 | 1.92 | $63,340 | $49,480 | $78,760 | -1% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 1,120 | 3.97 | $59,370 | $43,810 | $84,570 | -20% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,080 | 1.00 | $39,730 | $30,300 | $54,260 | -11% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,040 | 0.88 | $33,370 | $27,610 | $42,590 | -11% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,030 | 0.99 | $39,310 | $27,630 | $51,760 | -13% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,010 | 1.58 | $47,220 | $35,880 | $62,960 | -5% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,000 | 0.71 | $83,290 | $67,000 | $103,870 | -15% |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 910 | 4.93 | $55,050 | $43,340 | $65,950 | -15% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 830 | 3.29 | $43,010 | $35,260 | $52,980 | -11% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 790 | 1.53 | $65,930 | $38,150 | $138,960 | -9% |
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | 790 | 2.29 | $38,910 | $32,930 | $46,920 | -14% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 770 | 1.30 | $35,800 | $28,610 | $46,420 | -20% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 680 | 0.72 | $17,930 | $15,080 | $45,730 | -49% |
These figures are for the whole Dalton, GA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $42,210 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.6% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 35.6% |
| Education and health care | 14.5% |
| Retail trade | 9.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.2% |
| Construction | 7.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.4% |
| Other services | 4.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.9% |
| Public administration | 0.8% |
| Information | 0.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Dalton lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitfield County | 103,598 | $7,746 million | $74,774 | 57,828 | 2,734 | $54,855 | +0.9% | 3.6% | 47,702 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 18,994 | 36.5% | $54,305 | 4.00 |
| Health care and social assistance | 6,032 | 11.6% | $69,284 | 0.73 |
| Retail trade | 5,152 | 9.9% | $35,576 | 0.89 |
| Professional and technical services | 4,067 | 7.8% | $80,846 | 1.01 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,536 | 6.8% | $21,591 | 0.67 |
| Wholesale trade | 3,317 | 6.4% | $61,651 | 1.46 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,225 | 6.2% | $59,278 | 1.32 |
| Administrative and waste services | 3,111 | 6.0% | $35,100 | 0.91 |
| Construction | 1,255 | 2.4% | $62,572 | 0.41 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 846 | 1.6% | $47,574 | 0.49 |
| Finance and insurance | 747 | 1.4% | $73,503 | 0.32 |
| Management of companies | 589 | 1.1% | $126,432 | 0.60 |
| Real estate and rental | 336 | 0.6% | $45,603 | 0.37 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 291 | 0.6% | $23,657 | 0.30 |
| Utilities | 201 | 0.4% | $107,899 | 0.91 |
| Information | 185 | 0.4% | $69,079 | 0.17 |
| Educational services | 174 | 0.3% | $38,493 | 0.15 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 79.4% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.0% |
| Work from home | 4.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,577 |
| Income per person | $33,115 |
| Median gross rent per month | $996 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.8% |
| Median home value | $222,400 |
| Homeowners | 52.4% |
| Poverty rate | 18.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 89.8 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $42,210 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 5.19%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 33.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 70.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 24.3% |
| Born abroad | 28.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 64.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.6 | 38 | 109 |
| Feb | 5.8 | 42 | 122 |
| Mar | 10.4 | 51 | 118 |
| Apr | 15.3 | 60 | 115 |
| May | 20.1 | 68 | 115 |
| Jun | 24.6 | 76 | 106 |
| Jul | 26.4 | 80 | 127 |
| Aug | 26.2 | 79 | 96 |
| Sep | 22.7 | 73 | 108 |
| Oct | 16.2 | 61 | 89 |
| Nov | 9.7 | 49 | 109 |
| Dec | 5.5 | 42 | 140 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun | GA | 19 mi | 18,183 | $58,750 | $873 |
| Collegedale | TN | 20 mi | 11,330 | $70,246 | $1,581 |
| East Ridge | TN | 21 mi | 22,070 | $62,247 | $1,147 |
| Chattanooga | TN | 26 mi | 185,783 | $64,523 | $1,256 |
| Harrison | TN | 27 mi | 8,011 | $89,395 | $1,216 |
| Cleveland | TN | 29 mi | 48,829 | $58,559 | $1,034 |
| Red Bank | TN | 30 mi | 12,010 | $63,983 | $1,283 |
| Middle Valley | TN | 32 mi | 12,187 | $95,000 | $1,180 |
| Signal Mountain | TN | 33 mi | 8,860 | $141,008 | $1,852 |
| Soddy-Daisy | TN | 36 mi | 13,231 | $75,113 | $1,047 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
34,538 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$996 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.8% of the median household income.
$63,577 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.6% (BLS county, Whitfield County (latest month 2026M09)).
Georgia. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.