Compare towns
Dalton vs Dover
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 affordable homes ($296k median).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1308k median).
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 | Dover |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 6,256Highest |
2,308Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
47.5±4Lowest 19% above MA |
| Dalton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Dalton 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% |
15.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
83.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.4%±4.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$1,308,300±$149kHighest 133% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $872±$70 51% below MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dover and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
37.4%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #192 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | — |
| High school in town | Wahconah Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.