Population 6,591 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Dalton
Household size in Dalton
| Period | Dalton | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.42 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.14 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.16 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.45 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Dalton are small: just 2.16 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.61 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 20 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Dalton
| Period | Dalton | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.0 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.2 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 50.7 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.0 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 48.0, Dalton is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 45.0 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Dalton
| Period | Dalton | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.0% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Dalton than nationally: 10.0%, against 11.6%. Massachusetts as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share has edged up 1.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Dalton
Renters in Dalton
| Period | Dalton | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.3% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.3% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.8% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.1% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Dalton rent their homes (28.1%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 29.4% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the west and least common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 3.9 points, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Dalton
| Period | Dalton | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Dalton is close to the national rate: 9.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Massachusetts overall (7.9%). Dalton has a higher vacancy rate than the great majority of Massachusetts cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Dalton
| Period | Dalton | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1955 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1952 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1954 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1959 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Dalton is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1959, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1955 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the west.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Dalton
| Period | Dalton | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $820 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $792 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $964 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $939 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$120 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Dalton pays $939 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $120 a month since 2006–10, up 15%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Dalton
Bachelor's degrees in Dalton
| Period | Dalton | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.0% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.6% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.9% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.9 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than four in ten adults 25 and older in Dalton (42.9%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. Even so, the share is lower than in Massachusetts overall (47.2%). The share with a degree has risen 14.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Dalton
| Period | Dalton | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.0% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.3% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.0% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.6% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Dalton: 96.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 3.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Dalton
| Period | Dalton | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Dalton than nationally: unemployment was 6.8%, against 5.4%. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 26 have higher unemployment. Unemployment is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Dalton compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton | 2.16 | 48.0 | 10.0% | 28.1% | 9.4% | 1959 | $939 | 42.9% | 96.6% | 6.8% |
| Berkshire | 2.43 | 48.9 | 3.9% | 8.4% | 12.5% | 1982 | $1,670 | 46.1% | 96.4% | 0.5% |
| Hinsdale | 2.23 | 46.4 | 7.8% | 19.0% | 23.1% | 1966 | $1,220 | 24.0% | 89.9% | 4.7% |
| Pittsfield | 2.20 | 45.1 | 15.3% | 36.2% | 10.4% | 1951 | $1,392 | 33.0% | 92.2% | 7.0% |
| Farnams | 2.37 | 46.1 | 14.1% | 14.5% | 19.4% | 1975 | $2,094 | 32.4% | 95.6% | 5.9% |
| Lanesborough | 2.43 | 49.1 | 3.0% | 7.7% | 11.9% | 1983 | $1,632 | 47.4% | 96.5% | 0.0% |
| Lanesboro | 2.35 | 48.8 | 12.3% | 5.8% | 19.7% | 1970 | $1,393 | 45.6% | 95.2% | 1.8% |
| Cheshire | 2.11 | 53.9 | 7.8% | 13.0% | 9.4% | 1961 | $1,258 | 27.3% | 93.8% | 4.0% |
| Peru | 2.28 | 52.4 | 5.9% | 3.1% | 14.5% | 1983 | $1,425 | 27.9% | 92.3% | 3.9% |
| Town Crest Village | 2.18 | 55.6 | 4.2% | 1.9% | 7.1% | 1974 | $1,097 | 24.4% | 90.9% | 5.7% |
| Washington | 2.08 | 55.3 | 3.7% | 8.9% | 21.6% | 1975 | $1,920 | 31.1% | 95.0% | 0.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Nashport, OH · New London, NC · New Lexington, OH · New Lebanon, OH · New Egypt, NJ · New Columbia, PA · New Carlisle, IN · Neptune Beach, FL · Nephi, UT · Negaunee, MI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Dalton. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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