What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dalton has the most kids (20.6% under 18).

Easthampton has the most people working from home (19%).

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	Easthampton
People
Population	6,256Lowest	16,086Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.3% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA	46±2.6Lowest 15% above MA
	Dalton and Easthampton 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%	15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Dalton and Easthampton 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%	23.9%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dalton and Easthampton 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%	38%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.1%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,438±$8kHighest 24% below MA	$71,673±$7kLowest 31% below MA
	Dalton and Easthampton 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	$371,500±$15kHighest 34% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA	$1,292±$70Highest 27% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,276Lowest 29% below MA	$4,932Highest 18% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8%	45.5%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Easthampton 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%	8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	58.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA	1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 24% below MA	22 minHighest 23% below MA
Work from home	12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	19%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Easthampton 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	#92 of 282 in MA
School district	Central Berkshire	Easthampton
High school in town	Wahconah Regional High	Easthampton High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Highest	9.8Lowest
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.