Compare towns
Dalton vs Deerfield vs Sunderland
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).
Deerfield has the highest household income ($106k).
Sunderland has the most renters (58% rent).
Sunderland is a college town. 25.5% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Deerfield | Sunderland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,256Highest |
5,158 |
3,641Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7% MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8 24% above MA |
51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
35.1±1.9Lowest 12% below MA |
| Deerfield and Dalton 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% |
13.2%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
9%±3.3Lowest 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%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dalton and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
62.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4 MA: 7.9% |
25.5%±9.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,438±$8k 24% below MA |
$106,136±$14kHighest about the MA average |
$68,083±$3kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
$458,100±$52kHighest 19% below MA |
| Sunderland 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 |
$1,334±$318 24% below MA |
$1,672±$151Highest 5% below MA |
| Sunderland and Deerfield 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 |
$5,824Highest about the MA average |
$5,611 6% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19 MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Sunderland 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% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
14.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% MA: 62.5% |
78.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 24% below MA |
18 min 40% below MA |
17 minLowest 41% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Deerfield and Sunderland 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 | #220 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Deerfield · Frontier | Sunderland |
| High school in town | Wahconah Regional High | Frontier Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.1Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.