What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

Dalton has the shortest commute (22 min average).

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	Townsend	Dalton
People
Population	9,100Highest	6,256Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average	49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA
	Dalton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%	20.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Townsend and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	44.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA	$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA	$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA	$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Highest about the MA average	$4,276Lowest 29% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8%	41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Townsend and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Highest MA: 10%	7.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	22 minLowest 24% below MA
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.5%±7.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Dalton and Townsend 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	#136 of 282 in MA	#192 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	Central Berkshire
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Wahconah Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	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.