Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Dalton vs Hancock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Dalton has the most people working from home (12.5%).
Hancock has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Pittsfield | Dalton | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,457Highest |
6,256 |
752Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±2Lowest 6% above MA |
49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
47.1±11.1 18% above MA |
| Dalton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±4.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Dalton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±3.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Pittsfield and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,582±$5kLowest 32% below MA |
$79,438±$8k 24% below MA |
$96,250±$26kHighest 7% below MA |
| Hancock and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA |
$295,700±$26k 47% below MA |
$375,500±$21kHighest 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,134±$61 36% below MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,268±$415Highest 28% below MA |
| Hancock and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,148 31% below MA |
$4,276Highest 29% below MA |
$1,018Lowest 83% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±5.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±36.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Pittsfield and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
82.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 36% below MA |
22 minHighest 24% below MA |
22 min 25% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Dalton and Hancock 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 | #251 of 282 in MA | #192 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Pittsfield | Central Berkshire | Hancock |
| High school in town | Taconic High | Wahconah Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
10.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.