Compare towns
Deerfield vs Gray 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 most people working from home (17.5%).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Deerfield | Gray | Dalton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
8,429Highest |
6,256 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6Highest 33% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% 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% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dalton and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dalton and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Deerfield and Gray 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. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$79,438±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Deerfield and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$295,700±$26kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Deerfield and Gray 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. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$872±$70Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Gray and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,276 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±19 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Deerfield 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #192 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Wahconah Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
12.5Highest |
10.9Lowest |
| 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.