What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

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	Webster	Dalton
People
Population	17,748Highest	6,256Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%	-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average	49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Dalton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	44.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA	$79,438±$8kHighest 24% below MA
	Dalton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA	$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA	$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA	$4,276Highest 29% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8%	41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Webster and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.7%Highest MA: 10%	7.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA	1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 5% above MA	22 minLowest 24% below MA
Work from home	8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.5%±7.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Dalton and Webster 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	#271 of 282 in MA	#192 of 282 in MA
School district	Webster	Central Berkshire
High school in town	Bartlett High School	Wahconah Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Highest	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.