Compare towns
Dalton vs Grantham vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dalton has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Grantham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14%).
Springfield has the most people working from home (16.7%).
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.
| Measure | Dalton | Grantham | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,256Highest |
3,465 |
1,122Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8Lowest 28% above U.S. |
50.4±7.5 30% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Springfield and Grantham 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% |
19.1%±6.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dalton and Grantham 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% |
17%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Grantham and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,438±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$106,403±$54kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$100,893±$19k 25% above U.S. |
| Grantham and Springfield 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. |
$343,100±$39k 3% above U.S. |
$384,100±$50kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Springfield and Grantham 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. |
— | $1,096±$217Highest 22% below U.S. |
| Springfield and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,276Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$7,605Highest 144% above U.S. |
$5,946 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
— | 25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dalton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
100%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Springfield and Grantham 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 | #6 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Grantham 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 | 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.