Dalton

Top Issues

“Rent, grocery prices, and health care.”

– White, Female, Middle-Aged Resident of Columbus
In our conversations with Dalton residents, we identified three predominant concerns: healthcare, housing affordability, and crime. Dalton residents consistently agreed that these issues had the most impact on their community.

Housing Affordability & the Economy

Dalton residents agreed that housing affordability and overall economic stability are the most prominent issues facing their community. Many folks find themselves struggling to keep pace with the rising costs of living—especially rent and basic necessities like food. Residents also expressed concern for their community and those who struggle to survive under current economic conditions, with housing affordability making it especially difficult for families to sustain themselves.

Healthcare

 Access to quality healthcare is a significant issue for Dalton residents. The community is concerned about the shortcomings within the local healthcare services, which creates long-distance travel for critical treatments. Some expressed relief that they don’t have significant health issues to deal with as they fear they would not have adequate care, while others recognized that smaller practices do meet their needs.

Crime

Safety is a major concern for Dalton residents, and many are aware of the increasing crime rate in their region. Residents recognize the need for safety measures and security, including a desire to own a firearm for protection—though some feel that they simply can’t afford one. Because most local news focuses on their neighboring city, Chattanooga, information about specific safety issues in Dalton can be incredibly hard to come by.

Media Consumption

“We don’t have any kind of social media or don’t have a whole lot of other news coming at us. You’re kind of stuck with the internet, and then who knows how truthful it is.”

–White, Male, Middle-Age Resident of Dalton
Overall, paneled Dalton residents shared that they use a variety of information sources, ranging from local and national news networks to local social media groups. Some mentioned that much of the accessible media comes from larger cities like Chattanooga and Atlanta, leaving very few local options to provide in-depth insights into their community. In general, Dalton residents agreed that real, local news sources are needed in their community.

News Apps/Push Notifications

News apps, such as Google News, were mentioned as prominent sources of media information. Dalton residents report browsing news headlines and push notifications on their phones. Once they notice multiple articles on a particular subject, they follow up for more information on an issue or event. Overall, news apps and other national news outlets are the most popular way of consuming media. Most panelists agreed that local issues are not often adequately covered.

Local News Stations

 Local news stations, radio stations, and local papers are major sources for learning about community happenings. However, residents generally felt that these do not offer tremendous insight into the local news or events. Because most of the stations accessible are from major cities nearby—such as Chattanooga and Atlanta—residents don’t find them adequate when covering local community issues. Dalton residents expressed a keen interest in a more robust local media presence.

Facebook/SocialMedia

Facebook groups are a key source of local and national community engagement in Dalton. Residents mentioned using Facebook, but rarely as a primary source of information. Some younger residents described using social media and chat groups to find information in the community, while older residents typically rely on their families to help them browse social media.

“I think for the longevity of the city, being able to retain young people, have places for them to live and work and grow. We'd love to see some places for them to do things.”
–White, Female, Middle-Age Resident of Dalton
"I'll look at stories on Google News and just see what pops up. And usually, there are enough common articles about something that if I want more detail about something, I'm able to follow up.”
–White, Female, Middle-Age Resident of Dalton
“Perception of our kind of world around us is like all national, so it's kind of not much local, at least from where I'm sitting like I don't know where to get too much local information.”
–Male, Young-Adult Resident of Dalton
“I get some unsolicited political messages and usually just delete them. But if it was like the Dalton community-- It's different if I opt into it.”
–Female, White, Middle-Age Resident of Dalton
“I don't get a lot of my news from TV unless something bad is happening in the weather, and then I'm looking at the local weather channel.”
–Female, White, Middle-Age Resident of Dalton
“I know, even just a few years ago when I moved down to Atlanta when I left here, I had a one-bedroom apartment, it was like $600/$700, now I'm looking at about $1,500 a month, it's gone up an insane amount."
–Male, Young-Adult Resident of Dalton
“There's people, we know people that more than one family lives together just to pay their rent. You've seen that a lot more.”
–Female, White, Middle-Age Resident of Dalton
“They're building a lot more, but there's a housing shortage.”
–Male, Young-Adult Resident of Dalton
“You feel sorry for the younger generation because things we used to do, it would cost them a fortune for that thing we would just love to do on the weekend and not think nothing about it.”
–Female, White, Middle-Age Resident of Dalton
“I had a friend who had Crohn's disease, like the worst case I'd ever seen of Crohn's disease, and she'd have to make regular trips to Atlanta for her necessary health care."
Young-Adult Resident of Dalton

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