Compare towns
Dalton vs Sutton vs Salisbury vs Lee
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).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Sutton | Salisbury | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,256 |
2,239Lowest |
9,281Highest |
5,719 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8 28% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Lowest 24% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5 32% above U.S. |
55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Lee 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% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dalton and Sutton 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% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee 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% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee and Sutton 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 |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$93,361±$6k 16% above U.S. |
$83,750±$13k 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,700±$26kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$478,700±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$352,700±$19k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $872±$70Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614 17% above U.S. |
$1,691±$411Highest 20% above U.S. |
$1,375±$212 about the U.S. average |
| Salisbury and Sutton 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. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,604 48% above U.S. |
$3,980Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salisbury and Lee 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Lee 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 | #209 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Kearsarge Regional School District | Triton | Lee |
| High school in town | Wahconah Regional High | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | Lee Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
10.4 |
— | 9.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 20 photos → |
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.