Cost of living in Dalton research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Dalton is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Georgia, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Dalton is 89, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Dalton is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Dalton ranks as the #38 cheapest in Georgia out of 158.
Dalton ranks as the #1,060 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Dalton is $239,042.
The median income in Dalton is $61,236.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Dalton has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Georgia, Dalton has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Georgia's index of 92.
The standard of living in Dalton ranks as #38 most affordable out of the 158 places we measured in Georgia. By definition, that implies Dalton ranks as the #120 most expensive place in the Peach State.
For more reading on life in Dalton, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Dalton. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Dalton is 96.
The Groceries index in Dalton is 98.
The Health index in Dalton is 85.
The Housing index in Dalton is 83.
The Transportation index in Dalton is 85.
The Utilities index in Dalton is 94.
| Living Expense | Dalton | Georgia | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 89 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 96 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 85 | 101 | 100 | |
| Housing | 83 | 87 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 85 | 92 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 94 | 85 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Georgia, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Dalton is $239,042.
The Median Rent in Dalton is $924.
The Median Income in Dalton is $61,236.
The Home Value To Income in Dalton is 3.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Dalton is 0.18x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Dalton. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Canton, GA has a cost of living index of 105, 1.2x Dalton.
Holly Springs, GA has a cost of living index of 115, 1.3x Dalton.
Soddy-Daisy, TN has a cost of living index of 90, 1.0x Dalton.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Dalton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canton, GA | 34,587 | 105 | 1.2x |
| Holly Springs, GA | 17,693 | 115 | 1.3x |
| Soddy-Daisy, TN | 13,117 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Middle Valley, TN | 11,808 | 92 | 1.0x |
| Collegedale, TN | 11,185 | 100 | 1.1x |
| Fort Oglethorpe, GA | 10,332 | 86 | 1.0x |
| Signal Mountain, TN | 8,861 | 120 | 1.3x |
| Harrison, TN | 8,446 | 93 | 1.0x |
| LaFayette, GA | 6,944 | 82 | 0.9x |
| Fairview, GA | 5,620 | 85 | 1.0x |