What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dalton has the most homeowners (70.7%).

Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).

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	Everett
People
Population	6,256Lowest	50,045Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA	35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA
Kids under 18	20.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%
	Everett 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%	11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA	$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA
	Everett 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	$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA	$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,276Lowest 29% below MA	$4,880Highest 19% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8%	56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Everett 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%	14.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1957Highest 7 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 24% below MA	35 minHighest 20% above MA
Work from home	12.5%±7.1Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Dalton and Everett 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	#264 of 282 in MA
School district	Central Berkshire	Everett
High school in town	Wahconah Regional High	Everett High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	12.1Highest
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.