Compare towns
Dalton vs Meredith vs Salisbury
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 kids (20.6% under 18).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.6%).
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 | Meredith | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,256 |
6,758Highest |
5,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8Lowest 28% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
51±6.9 31% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Salisbury 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% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salisbury and Meredith 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 |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$92,469±$7kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Meredith 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. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$465,900±$31k 40% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Salisbury 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. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,770±$444Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Meredith 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. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$4,561 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.8%±11.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salisbury and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.7%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Salisbury 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | Wahconah Regional High | Inter-Lakes High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.