What stands out worked out from the figures below

Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).

Dalton has the most homeowners (70.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Everett	Dalton
People
Population	50,045Highest	6,256Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA	49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA
Kids under 18	21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%	20.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Everett and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	44.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%	2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA	$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA
	Everett and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA	$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA	$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,880Highest 19% below MA	$4,276Lowest 29% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8%	41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Everett and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.7%Highest MA: 10%	7.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1957Highest 7 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 20% above MA	22 minLowest 24% below MA
Work from home	10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.5%±7.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Dalton and Everett 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	#264 of 282 in MA	#192 of 282 in MA
School district	Everett	Central Berkshire
High school in town	Everett High	Wahconah Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	10.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.