Dalton

Coos CountyNorth CountryPopulation: 933

Overview

Dalton is a small, rural town in Coos County between Littleton and Whitefield, with forested hills and farmland typical of the North Country. The town has no significant commercial development.

Dalton's proximity to Littleton and Whitefield provides access to shopping and services, while the surrounding countryside offers hiking and hunting. The town's low density keeps it quiet.

Housing in Dalton remains affordable, drawing families and retirees who want rural, North Country living near larger service towns.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Rural character
  • Affordable
  • Near Littleton
  • Quiet

Cons

  • Limited services
  • No downtown
  • Small population

Cost of Owning Here

Official property tax rates published by the NH Department of Revenue Administration, plus estimated tax bills for Dalton.

2025 Local Tax Rate
$17.07
per $1,000 assessed value
2025 Effective (Equalized) Rate
$12.03
Equalization ratio: 71%
Municipal
$5.07
Local School
$7.68
State Education
$1.23
County
$3.09

Why "Effective Rate" is a better comparison

New Hampshire towns do not all assess property at the same percentage of market value. The state publishes an annual equalization ratio for every municipality showing how close local assessments are to full market value. A town that assesses homes at only 64% of market value will show an artificially high tax rate compared to a town that assesses at 100%. Multiplying the local rate by the equalization ratio produces an effective (equalized) rate that can be fairly compared across any two towns in the state.

YearTotal RateEffective RateMunicipalLocal SchoolState Ed.County
2025$17.07$12.03$5.07$7.68$1.23$3.09

Source: NH DRA

Example Tax Bills for 2025

Home ValueEstimated Annual TaxEstimated Monthly
$250,000$4,268$356
$350,000$5,975$498
$500,000$8,535$711
$750,000$12,803$1,067
$1,000,000$17,070$1,423

Estimates calculated using the 2025 local tax rate of $17.07 per $1,000 of assessed value. Actual tax bills depend on your property's specific assessed value and any exemptions or credits you may qualify for.

Climate & Environment

Summer Avg High
75.9°F
Winter Avg High
30.8°F
Annual Snowfall
64.1 in
Annual Rainfall
47 in
Sunny Days/Year
238
Data source: Open-Meteo / ERA5Updated 7/3/2026

Transportation & Commute

Commute to Major Cities

Boston
165 mi
~190 min drive
Manchester
115 mi
~132 min drive
Portsmouth
157 mi
~182 min drive
Concord
98 mi
~112 min drive
Data source: OpenRouteService / OpenStreetMapUpdated 7/3/2026

Recreation & Outdoors

Outdoor Recreation Score
36/100
Trail Miles
37.3
0
Boat Launches
1
State Parks
1
0

Winter & Camping

Snowmobile Trails:27 miles
XC Ski Trails:0 miles
Campgrounds:1

Economy & Demographics

💰Income

Median Household Income
$64,632
Per Capita Income
$32,769
Median Family Income
$95,938

🏠Housing Costs

Median Home Value
$127,500
Median Rent
$1,027/mo
Homeownership Rate
85.04%

💼Employment

Unemployment Rate
1.69%
In Labor Force
532
Work From Home
0.19%

🎓Education

Bachelor's Degree or Higher
13.69%
Total with Degree
98

🚗Commute

Work From Home
0.19%

👥Demographics

Median Age
43.5 years
Avg Household Size
2.48 people
Data source: Census ACS 2022 (5-Year)Census Data Year: 2022Updated 7/3/2026

Compare Dalton with Other Towns

See how Dalton stacks up against other NH communities.