Animal Caretakers Salary
The median pay for a animal caretakers in Dalton, GA is $26,330/year ($12.66/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $42K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.84), which stretches that salary to about $29,308 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,009/month, about 54.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $26K get you in Dalton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Dalton’s Regional Price Parity (89.84). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About animal caretakers
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What this looks like in Dalton
Pay for animal caretakers in Dalton runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,009/month, which is 54.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.84 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for animal caretakerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for animal caretakers in metros near Dalton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $30K | $30K |
| Athens-Clarke County | $34K | $36K |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $30K | $33K |
| Savannah | $29K | $30K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Dalton, GA
Entry-level animal caretakers (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $26K. Top earners bring in $42K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Animal Caretakers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Animal Caretakers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $44K | +25% | 460 |
| Washington | $41K | +15% | 6,620 |
| Hawaii | $40K | +13% | 570 |
| Massachusetts | $40K | +12% | 6,900 |
| California | $39K | +9% | 25,710 |
| Arizona | $38K | +8% | 6,330 |
| New York | $38K | +7% | 12,470 |
| Colorado | $37K | +6% | 6,290 |
| Connecticut | $37K | +6% | 3,000 |
| Maine | $37K | +5% | 1,430 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | +5% | 1,020 |
| Maryland | $37K | +4% | 5,570 |
| Alaska | $37K | +4% | 550 |
| Oregon | $37K | +3% | 3,470 |
| Minnesota | $36K | +3% | 4,250 |
| Vermont | $36K | +2% | 430 |
| New Jersey | $36K | +1% | 5,890 |
| Illinois | $36K | +1% | 11,070 |
| New Hampshire | $35K | -2% | 1,810 |
| Utah | $35K | -2% | 2,350 |
| Virginia | $34K | -3% | 10,070 |
| Montana | $34K | -3% | 1,200 |
| Florida | $34K | -3% | 17,210 |
| North Dakota | $34K | -4% | 770 |
| Delaware | $34K | -4% | 1,230 |
| New Mexico | $34K | -5% | 1,710 |
| Texas | $33K | -7% | 20,450 |
| Idaho | $32K | -9% | 1,760 |
| Nebraska | $32K | -10% | 2,100 |
| Pennsylvania | $31K | -11% | 9,910 |
| South Carolina | $31K | -12% | 4,090 |
| Missouri | $31K | -12% | 5,820 |
| North Carolina | $31K | -13% | 9,730 |
| Kentucky | $31K | -13% | 6,140 |
| Tennessee | $31K | -14% | 6,110 |
| South Dakota | $30K | -14% | 1,110 |
| Michigan | $30K | -14% | 6,290 |
| Nevada | $30K | -14% | 2,470 |
| Ohio | $30K | -14% | 9,350 |
| Arkansas | $30K | -15% | 2,040 |
| Wisconsin | $30K | -15% | 5,720 |
| Iowa | $30K | -15% | 3,480 |
| Indiana | $30K | -15% | 6,420 |
| Georgia | $30K | -16% | 9,110 |
| Kansas | $30K | -16% | 3,000 |
| Wyoming | $29K | -18% | 460 |
| Oklahoma | $29K | -18% | 3,170 |
| West Virginia | $29K | -19% | 1,160 |
| Alabama | $28K | -20% | 4,100 |
| Louisiana | $28K | -21% | 2,660 |
| Mississippi | $27K | -24% | 1,900 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track animal caretakers salary changes
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Related careers in Personal Care
Frequently asked questions
Can a animal caretaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Dalton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $26K, rent takes 54.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,009/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for animal caretakers in Dalton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new animal caretakers typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,248/month. At HUD’s $1,009/month FMR, rent would take 81% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is animal caretaker a high-paying job in Dalton?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $26K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Dalton compare to the national average for animal caretakers?
Dalton pays $26K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $29K — below the national median.
How much do animal caretakers make in Dalton, GA?
The median is $26,330 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $20,800, and experienced animal caretakers can clear $42,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $26K enough to live in Dalton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,849/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,009/month, which eats 54.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a animal caretakers salary go in Dalton?
Dalton has a Regional Price Parity of 89.84 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median animal caretakers salary is worth about $29,308 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do animal caretakers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.