Salisbury receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Dalton
Salisbury
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 47%
vs63 · Top 34%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs49 · Bottom 49%
Climate
73 · Top 29%
vs76 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
58 · Top 47%
vs67 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 31%
vs91 · Bottom 39%
Access
48 · Bottom 11%
vs50 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
62 · Top 36%
vs53 · Top 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Dalton | Salisbury | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 144,160 | 129,736 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,846 | $73,802 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,295 | $36,173 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 227/sq mi | 187/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $208,800 | $241,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $938 | $1,274 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.0% | 64.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | 1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.7% | 27.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 557 | 231 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 10.7% | -16.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.0" | 47.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 84 mi | 83 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 36.6 | 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
Dalton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Salisbury
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Dalton, GA Metro Area · Salisbury, MD Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology