Compare towns
Dalton vs Putnam vs Plainville
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 people working from home (12.5%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Plainville has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Putnam | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,256Lowest |
9,292 |
17,551Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8Highest 28% above U.S. |
43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
| Dalton and Plainville 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% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dalton and Putnam 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% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dalton and Plainville 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% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,438±$8k about the U.S. average |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Plainville 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±$26kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Dalton and Putnam 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±$44Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,276 37% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dalton and Plainville 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% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dalton and Plainville 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Putnam School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Wahconah Regional High | Putnam High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
9.5Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| 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.