Dalton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Cleveland
Dalton
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 22%
vs54 · Bottom 47%
Growth
59 · Top 36%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
73 · Top 29%
vs73 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
55 · Top 50%
vs58 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
91 · Bottom 40%
vs99 · Top 31%
Access
59 · Bottom 20%
vs48 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
58 · Top 41%
vs62 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Cleveland | Dalton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 128,963 | 144,160 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,135 | $67,846 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,852 | $31,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 169/sq mi | 227/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $247,000 | $208,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,006 | $938 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.7% | 69.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 18.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 14.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 855 | 557 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.6 | 3.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.6% | 10.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.0" | 55.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 60 mi | 84 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.5 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Cleveland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Dalton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Cleveland, TN Metro Area · Dalton, GA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology