Compare towns
Buckland vs Dover vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buckland has the most affordable homes ($321k median).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
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.
| Measure | Buckland | Dover | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,036Lowest |
5,930Highest |
2,872 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.5±5.4Highest 24% above MA |
44.9±2.3Lowest 12% above MA |
48.9±4.2 22% above MA |
| Buckland and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.8%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.4%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Buckland and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.9% MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±3 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,877±$6kLowest 20% below MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$103,375±$10k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $321,400±$25kLowest 43% below MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$375,800±$31k 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,111±$213Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,142±$200 35% below MA |
| Dover and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,761 21% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,594Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58%±20.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.2%±25.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Buckland and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.5%±10.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 282 in MA | #231 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | Mohawk Trail Regional School | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Pioneer Valley Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
9.8 |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.