Dalton, GA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Georgia·Dalton

Whitfield County · Dalton · population 34,970

First-time buyersInvestors
Dalton, GA
Image: Wikipedia · Dalton, Georgia
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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69
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Dalton stands

At or near all-time high. averaging 7.5% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $242,740
1-year +2.8%
5-yr CAGR +7.5%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.4%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$243k$105k$154k$203k$252k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
82/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,467/mo$1,320$1,437$1,55520242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent10710410020242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 13.8
Buy

At a 13.8 price-to-rent ratio, buying generally beats renting in Dalton on a long-enough horizon. The headline math is that one year of mortgage payments approximates 13.8 years of rent — well below the 15+ threshold where ownership starts to dominate.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
64 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
77 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
53 · w16%
Rent YoY
47 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
81 · w10%
Long thesis

Dalton has averaged 7.5% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+2.8% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Dalton's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Dalton

Dalton is a city in Whitfield County, Georgia, with an estimated population of 34,970. The median home value in Dalton is $242,740 as of 2026-04, up 2.8% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.5% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Dalton average $1,467 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+0.3%). The composite momentum score is 69 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Affordable AND rising: median home $242,740 with positive recent direction — rare combination most of the country can’t offer.
●Healthy 5-year run: +7.5% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +2.8% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Dalton (Wikipedia)

Dalton is a city and the county seat of Whitfield County, Georgia, United States. It is also the principal city of the Dalton Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Murray and Whitfield counties.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Whitfield County right now.

NWS active alerts (GA)Georgia Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Whitfield County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Dalton

Valdosta, GA70 · RisingRome, GA71 · RisingCedartown, GA71 · RisingFort Oglethorpe, GA71 · Rising

Run the numbers for Dalton

ToolCan I afford Dalton?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Dalton rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Dalton to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolDalton cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
55° / 36°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
91° / 71°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
217
~59% of year
Annual precip
50″ rain
1″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Moderate
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Dalton listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Dalton area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$71,400
Georgia state median
Top industries (state-level)
Logistics/DistributionFilm/TVHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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