What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dalton has the shortest commute (22 min average).

Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).

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	Effingham
People
Population	6,256Highest	1,912Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.7±5.8Highest 28% above U.S.	46.9±12.4Lowest 21% above U.S.
	Dalton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22%	19.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Dalton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Dalton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,438±$8kHighest about the U.S. average	$76,607±$14kLowest 5% below U.S.
	Dalton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$295,700±$26kLowest 11% below U.S.	$322,700±$30kHighest 3% below U.S.
	Effingham and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$872±$70Lowest 38% below U.S.	$1,090±$121Highest 23% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,276Lowest 37% above U.S.	$5,163Highest 66% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.2%±19Highest U.S.: 51.1%	13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dalton and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 16% below U.S.	32 minHighest 19% above U.S.
Work from home	12.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	16.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Effingham 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	—
School district	Central Berkshire	Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town	Wahconah Regional High	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.