What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.2%).

Dalton has the most people working from home (12.5%).

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	Hanson	Dalton
People
Population	10,660Highest	6,256Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±3Lowest 7% above MA	49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA
	Dalton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4%	20.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Hanson and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%	27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Dalton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	44.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9%	2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hanson and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,200±$10kHighest 27% above MA	$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA	$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA	$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,402Highest 7% above MA	$4,276Lowest 29% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8%	41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hanson and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest MA: 10%	7.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89%Highest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA	1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 15% above MA	22 minLowest 24% below MA
Work from home	7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.5%±7.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Dalton and Hanson 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	#149 of 282 in MA	#192 of 282 in MA
School district	Whitman-Hanson	Central Berkshire
High school in town	Whitman Hanson Regional	Wahconah Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	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.