Compare towns
Deerfield vs Reading vs Dalton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Reading | Dalton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
25,612Highest |
6,256 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
49.7±5.8 24% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318 24% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 about the MA average |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dalton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 40% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
22 min 24% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #156 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #192 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Reading | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | Reading Memorial High | Wahconah Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
12.1Highest |
10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.