What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dalton has the shortest commute (22 min average).

Spencer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dalton	Spencer
People
Population	6,256Lowest	12,008Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA	48.9±6.8Lowest 22% above MA
	Dalton and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4%	16.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Dalton and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9%	26%±4.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dalton and Spencer 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 MA: 47.3%	29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.2%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Spencer 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 24% below MA	$80,533±$11kHighest 23% below MA
	Spencer 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 47% below MA	$382,000±$22kHighest 32% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA	$1,078±$161Highest 39% below MA
	Spencer and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,276Lowest 29% below MA	$4,387Highest 27% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8%
	Spencer and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Lowest MA: 10%	11%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	63%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 24% below MA	34 minHighest 18% above MA
Work from home	12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	15%±7.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Spencer 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	#261 of 282 in MA
School district	Central Berkshire	Spencer-E Brookfield
High school in town	Wahconah Regional High	David Prouty High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Highest	9.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.