Compare towns
Deerfield vs Epping vs Montague vs Dalton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Montague has the most renters (37.3% rent).
Dalton has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
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 | Deerfield | Epping | Montague | Dalton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
7,430 |
8,482Highest |
6,256 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6Highest 33% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
44.3±3.1Lowest 14% above U.S. |
49.7±5.8 28% above U.S. |
| Deerfield and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dalton and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dalton and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Deerfield and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$70,510±$12kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$79,438±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Deerfield and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37k 25% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$282,100±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$295,700±$26k 11% below U.S. |
| Epping and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318 6% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,207±$115 15% below U.S. |
$872±$70Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Epping and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 87% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,276 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.6%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±19 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Deerfield 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #265 of 282 in MA | #192 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Epping School District | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | Epping High School | Franklin County Technical | Wahconah Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
9.3Lowest |
11.7Highest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 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.