NAICS 51

Information in Dalton, GA

Metro Market Score 15.1 (Favorable), ranked #7 of 294 metros. 26 establishments, 203 jobs.

Metro Market Score 15.1

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

📈Rapid Growth✓Favorable Market🌱Emerging Market

Dalton ranks in the top 10% for information market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 15.1, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

2.0

LQ: 0.16

Rank #6 of 294 metros

Wage Competitiveness

32.6

$68,295 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 97.6

Employment growth index

Rank #8 of 294 metros

Wage Pressure

28.4

YoY wage change index

26 Information Firms in Dalton

Establishments

+36.8% YoY

203

Total Employment

+18.0% YoY

$68,295

Average Annual Wage

+12.3% YoY

0.16

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Georgia

#1 of 5

information metros in state

Georgia state rank

#39 of 51

for information entry risk

vs State Median

-16.5

better than median (31.6)

Dalton vs Georgia Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to Georgia overall. The state ranks #39/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Dalton	GA Statewide
Overall Score	15.1 Favorable	48.9 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#7 of 294 metros	#39 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Dalton

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 11.4 Construction 15.0 Accommodation and Food Services 32.8 Finance and Insurance 35.4 Administrative and Support Services 36.0 Other Services 37.4 Retail Trade 44.4

Information in Other Georgia Metros

Gainesville 31.6 #69/294 Columbus 31.6 #70/294 Savannah 36.8 #93/294 Rome 43.4 #142/294

Information Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Dalton's 15.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Anniston-Oxford, AL 15.4 #8/294 Monroe, MI 15.5 #9/294 Gettysburg, PA 14.4 #6/294 Decatur, IL 14.3 #5/294 Merced, CA 16.0 #10/294 Weirton-Steubenville, WV 16.8 #11/294 Odessa, TX 17.1 #12/294 Eagle Pass, TX 17.1 #13/294 Elkhart-Goshen, IN 17.4 #14/294 Reading, PA 17.4 #15/294

Information in States Bordering Georgia

State-level entry risk for information in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Alabama 32.1 #5/51 North Carolina 45.3 #28/51 South Carolina 46.3 #29/51 Florida 46.5 #30/51 Tennessee 48.1 #37/51

Browse Information in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for information across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Dalton's information sector, the wage competitiveness component (32.6) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Dalton, GA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment