Compare towns
Dalton vs Salisbury vs Sharon
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 affordable homes ($296k median).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Sharon has the most homeowners (93.1%).
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 | Salisbury | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,256 |
9,281Highest |
442Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8 28% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
49.4±11.2Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±8.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon and Dalton 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% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salisbury 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 |
$93,361±$6k 16% above U.S. |
$113,125±$19kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Salisbury 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. |
$478,700±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$475,900±$38k 43% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Sharon 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. |
$1,691±$411Highest 20% above U.S. |
$1,458±$1k 3% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Sharon 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. |
$4,604 48% above U.S. |
$8,274Highest 165% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.6%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salisbury and Dalton 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% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Dalton 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 | #240 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Triton | — |
| High school in town | Wahconah Regional High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | — |
| 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.