What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).

Dalton has the most renters (29.3% rent).

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	Sutton	Dalton
People
Population	2,239Lowest	6,256Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.1±4.1Lowest 24% above U.S.	49.7±5.8Highest 28% above U.S.
	Dalton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Dalton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	27.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Dalton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.3% U.S.: 35.7%	44.3% U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sutton and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S.	$79,438±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S.	$295,700±$26kLowest 11% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S.	$872±$70Lowest 38% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,652Highest 145% above U.S.	$4,276Lowest 37% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	41.2%±19Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dalton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	22 minLowest 16% below U.S.
Work from home	14.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Sutton 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	—	#192 of 282 in MA
School district	Kearsarge Regional School District	Central Berkshire
High school in town	Kearsarge Regional High School	Wahconah Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	10.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.