Dalton Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Dalton, GA: $20.29/hr median hourly wage, $42,210 median annual salary, cost of living index 82.8, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Georgia taxes.
Dalton Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Dalton, GA is $20.29/hr,and the median annual wage is $42,210. Entry-level pay estimates around $12.58/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $28.81/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Dalton, GA metropolitan statistical area (65,300 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Dalton shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$42,210
$20.29/hr
Cost of Living
82.8
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
3.6%
rate
Dalton, GA Overview
Population
34,200
Median Salary
$42,210
Average Salary
$53,820
Avg Commute
19 min
Median Home Price
$185,000
Median Rent
$757/mo
Job Growth
+0.6%
Sales Tax
4%
Dalton is located in Georgia with a population of 34,200. The median annual wage across all occupations is $42,210 ($20.29/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Dalton, GA metro), which is $8,770 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 19 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +0.6%.
Dalton Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Dalton, GA built around the $42,210 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Dalton, GA metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $26,170 | $12.58/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $42,210 | $20.29/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $59,938 | $28.81/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $75,134 | $36.12/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Dalton Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Dalton, GA, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$34,738
$2,894.83/month · $1,336.08/biweekly · Effective Rate: 17.7%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,336.08 take-home per paycheck after estimated Georgia and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$42,210
Federal Tax
-$2,885
State Tax
-$1,358
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,229
Net Pay
$34,738
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $3,517.50 | $42,210.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$240.43 | -$2,885.20 |
| Georgia State Tax (3.22% eff.) | -$113.15 | -$1,357.78 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$218.09 | -$2,617.02 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$51.00 | -$612.05 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $2,894.83 | $34,737.96 |
Salary Comparison: Dalton vs Other Cities
See how Dalton's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton, GA | $42,210 | 82.8 | $50,978 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $42,240 | 82.5 | $51,200 |
| Lubbock, TX | $42,130 | 84 | $50,155 |
| Laplace, LA | $42,291 | 84.6 | $49,989 |
| Lawton, OK | $42,090 | 82.5 | $51,018 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Dalton
Dalton's cost of living index is 82.8 (national average = 100). Living in Dalton is 17.200000000000003% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$185,000
Median Monthly Rent
$757
Annual Rent Cost
$9,084
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $34,738 annual take-home pay in Dalton has the purchasing power of approximately $41,954 in an average-cost US area. Your $42,210 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Dalton
Dalton's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $42,210.
Salary Tips for Dalton Workers
- Your salary goes further here. Dalton has a cost of living 17.200000000000003% below the national average. A salary of $42,210 here has the purchasing power of about $50,978 in an average-cost area.
- Research top industries. Dalton's top industries include Logistics, Film & TV, Technology. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $42,210 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Dalton salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Dalton, GA metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Dalton indexed at 82.8.
- Median salary: $42,210 annual, $20.29 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Dalton, GA MSA (65,300 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $53,820 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Dalton was $32,339.
- Tax burden reflects Georgia 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 4.99%) (no local income tax), sales tax (4%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Dalton: 3.6%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Logistics, Film & TV, Technology, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 0.6% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Georgia.
- Housing context: median home price $185,000, median rent $757/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Dalton, GA:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Dalton unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Dalton QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Georgia, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Dalton's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Georgia labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
Explore Salaries Across the US
Compare salary data and cost of living for hundreds of US cities. Find out where your paycheck goes the furthest.
Related Salary Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Dalton, GA?
The median hourly wage in Dalton, GA is $20.29 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Dalton, GA metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $42,210. Entry-level workers are estimated around $12.58/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $28.81/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Dalton, GA?
The median salary in Dalton, GA is $42,210 per year, or $20.29 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Dalton, GA metro area). The BLS mean salary is $53,820. This is $8,770 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Dalton, GA?
Dalton's cost of living index is 82.8 (national average = 100), meaning it is 17.200000000000003% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $185,000 and the median monthly rent is $757.
What are the best industries in Dalton?
The top industries in Dalton, GA include Logistics, Film & TV, Technology. The city has a job growth rate of 0.6% and an unemployment rate of 3.6%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $42,210.
How does Dalton's salary compare to other cities?
Dalton's median salary of $42,210 is 17.2% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 82.8), the real purchasing power is approximately $50,978.
What is the minimum wage in Dalton, GA?
The minimum wage in Dalton, GA is $7.25 per hour. This equals approximately $15,080 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.