Compare towns
Dalton vs Jay vs Lunenburg
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).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Lunenburg has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Jay | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 916 |
471Lowest |
1,267Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±12.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
51.2±4.2 32% above U.S. |
| Jay and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±11.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dalton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dalton and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,429±$36kHighest about the U.S. average |
$74,792±$25k 7% below U.S. |
$53,125±$9kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Dalton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,400±$68k 42% below U.S. |
$234,200±$45kHighest 30% below U.S. |
$164,000±$11kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Jay and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$825Lowest 36% below U.S. |
— | $1,025±$172Highest 27% below U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,561 14% above U.S. |
$3,588Highest 15% above U.S. |
$2,702Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±83.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±57.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dalton and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.9%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.9%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.