Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,296, settled in 1871.
The best of Dalton’s subject grades is an A for health; the weakest is a C− for cost of living. Only 168 of Pennsylvania’s 1,749 towns score lower on cost of living. Dalton's schools rank ahead of 73% of Pennsylvania towns. Among 1,036 Pennsylvania towns, just 7 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Dalton. Dalton has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Dalton is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 172 in 1880, 1,284 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 2013 and 4 maps from 1892 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Dalton, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Dalton.
Dalton beats the Pennsylvania average on 8 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 19% of Dalton adults binge drink, above both Pennsylvania’s towns (18%) and U.S. towns (16%). 31% of adults have obesity in Dalton.
| Dalton | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 24% | 25% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 14% |
| What stands out | Dalton | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5.6% | 14.5% |
| Fewer smokers | 12.6% | 15.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.3% | 8.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Most working residents leave Dalton for work: only 1% work in town. Jobs based in Dalton fell to 143 in 2023, 128 fewer than in 2013. At 23 minutes, Dalton’s average trip to work is against 26 minutes in Pennsylvania’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns.
| Dalton | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 7.4% | 12% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $96,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Dalton has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Dalton’s July high is 82°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Dalton's reported crime rate is well below Pennsylvania's. The violent crime rate in Dalton is 0 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Dalton | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 6.9 per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
The typical Dalton home is worth about $309,000, down 1.2% in a year, 8% above the Pennsylvania typical home. 86% of Dalton households own their home.
| Dalton | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 86% | 78% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,375 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 51% of U.S. communities. Since 1983, 10 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Dalton.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Dalton. Close and well known come first.
9 mi National Historic SiteSteamtown National Historic Site61K visitors a year
27 mi LakeLake Wallenpaupack
30 mi State parkRicketts Glen State Park13 mi Theme parkRocky Glen Park
35 mi State parkHickory Run State Park
39 mi Ski areaCamelback Mountain Resort37 runs · 804 ft verticalSteamtown National Historic Site: National Park Service, Public domain · Lake Wallenpaupack: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ricketts Glen State Park: en:User:Msitler, Public domain · Hickory Run State Park: Mtruch, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Camelback Mountain Resort: Calzarette at en.wikipedia, Public domain
8 within 15 miles of the center of Dalton
About 5 of every 100 Dalton residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Pennsylvania.
Where Dalton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Dalton is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania and is located approximately eight miles north of the city of Scranton in a suburban area known as "the Abingtons." Dalton is also approximately three miles north of Clarks Summit, the hub of the Abington community. The population was 1,283 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes. That is 4.7 years of the area's median household income ($65,158 across the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
2 notable people were born here, including Timmy Mayer and Gilbert Stephen Bailey.
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