What stands out worked out from the figures below

Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).

Middlefield has the most affordable homes ($333k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Buzzards Bay	Middlefield
People
Population	2,909Highest	352Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4%	-26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	54.4±5.9Lowest 36% above MA	56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA
	Middlefield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	6.7%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%	4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Buzzards Bay and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9%	28.7%±8.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Buzzards Bay and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	31.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%	2.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Buzzards Bay and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,388±$12kLowest 9% below MA	$103,750±$23kHighest about the MA average
	Middlefield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$454,500±$28kHighest 19% below MA	$332,800±$48kLowest 41% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,484±$601Lowest 16% below MA	$2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA
	Middlefield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,405Lowest 43% below MA	$4,926Highest 18% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	100%±100Highest MA: 51.8%
	Middlefield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.3%Lowest MA: 10%	12.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	94.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 10% above MA	30 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6%	13.2%±9.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Buzzards Bay and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.