What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).

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	Hermon
People
Population	6,256Lowest	6,727Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.7±5.8Highest 28% above U.S.	41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Dalton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Hermon 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 U.S.: 17.2%	20.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Dalton and Hermon 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 U.S.: 35.7%	37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Hermon 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	$96,629±$22kHighest 20% above U.S.
	Hermon 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 11% below U.S.	$333,600±$32kHighest about the U.S. average
	Hermon 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.	$1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,276Highest 37% above U.S.	$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.2%±19Highest U.S.: 51.1%	28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dalton and Hermon 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%	6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	75.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S.	2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 16% below U.S.	23 minHighest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	12.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Dalton and Hermon 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	#54 of 133 in ME
School district	Central Berkshire	Hermon Public Schools
High school in town	Wahconah Regional High	Hermon High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Lowest	14.6Highest
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.