Dalton is a transition town[clarification needed] between the urban and rural portions of Berkshire County.

Dalton was settled as a rural-industrial community, with mills set up along the East Branch of the Housatonic River and small patches of farmland in other areas.

[4] In 1973, Dalton was the host of the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE or ISDT), also referred to as "The Olympics of Motorcycling".

The ISDE is an annual event held in a different country each year since 1913 (minus WWI and WWII), and draws competitors from all around the world.

[5] Dalton is bordered by Cheshire to the northwest and north, Windsor to the northeast, Hinsdale to the east, Washington to the south, and Pittsfield and Lanesborough to the west.

Dalton's center of population, due to its milling history, is around the valley of the East Branch of the Housatonic River.

The Appalachian Trail winds through town, passing between Tully and North Mountains through the downtown area.

The rail line, owned by CSX Transportation, hosts freight and Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited with a station stop in Pittsfield.

Dalton has its own police, fire district, ambulance, and public works departments.

The town is patrolled by the Fourth (Cheshire) Station of Barracks "B" of the Massachusetts State Police.

[18] Dalton is the town with the highest population in the Central Berkshire Regional School District.

The town also has a parochial school, Saint Agnes Academy, which serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grades.