Compare towns
Dalton vs Buzzards Bay vs Deerfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dalton has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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.
| Measure | Dalton | Buzzards Bay | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,256Highest |
2,909Lowest |
5,158 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8Lowest 24% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Deerfield 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% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Deerfield 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 |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$106,136±$14kHighest about the MA average |
| Deerfield and Buzzards Bay 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 |
$454,500±$28kHighest 19% below MA |
$414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Deerfield 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 |
$1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$1,334±$318 24% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,276 29% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dalton and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% MA: 10% |
7.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
78.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 24% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Deerfield and Buzzards Bay 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 | — | #156 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | — | Deerfield · Frontier |
| High school in town | Wahconah Regional High | — | Frontier Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.