What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dalton has the most people working from home (12.5%).

Dudley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).

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	Dudley
People
Population	6,256Lowest	11,929Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+4.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA	40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	20.6%±4.7 MA: 19.4%	20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9%	16.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA	$84,604±$12kHighest 19% below MA
	Dudley 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	$392,600±$19kHighest 30% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA	$1,217±$182Highest 31% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,276Highest 29% below MA	$3,691Lowest 38% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8%	47.4%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8%
	Dudley 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%	6.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	73.1%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	27 minHighest 6% below MA
Work from home	12.5%±7.1Highest MA: 18.6%	9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Dalton and Dudley 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	#142 of 282 in MA
School district	Central Berkshire	Dudley-Charlton Reg
High school in town	Wahconah Regional High	Shepherd Hill Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	14.3Highest
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.