What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dalton has the shortest commute (22 min average).

Buckland has grown the fastest since 2010 (-4.5%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dalton	Buckland
People
Population	6,256Highest	2,036Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	-4.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA	49.5±5.4Lowest 24% above MA
	Dalton and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4%	17.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Dalton and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9%	26.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dalton and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	43.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	2.6%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%
	Buckland and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA	$82,877±$6kHighest 20% below MA
	Buckland and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA	$321,400±$25kHighest 43% below MA
	Buckland and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA	$1,111±$213Highest 37% below MA
	Buckland and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,276Lowest 29% below MA	$4,761Highest 21% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8%	58%±20.9Highest MA: 51.8%
	Buckland and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Lowest MA: 10%	13%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	74.6%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1957Highest 7 yrs older than MA	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 24% below MA	31 minHighest 5% above MA
Work from home	12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	14.1%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Buckland and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#192 of 282 in MA	—
School district	Central Berkshire	Mohawk Trail
High school in town	Wahconah Regional High	Mohawk Trail Regional School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Highest	9.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.