What stands out worked out from the figures below

Canton has the most affordable homes ($711k median).

Cohasset has the most expensive homes ($1319k 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	Canton	Cohasset
People
Population	24,748Highest	8,427Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13%Highest MA: +7.4%	+11.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA	43.9±4.4Highest 10% above MA
	Cohasset and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	27.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4%
	Cohasset and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9%	17.8%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Canton and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	67.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	76.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	3.8%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Canton and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$143,381±$9kLowest 38% above MA	$199,306±$53kHighest 92% above MA
	Cohasset and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$710,600±$27kLowest 26% above MA	$1,318,900±$165kHighest 135% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,315±$178Lowest 31% above MA	$2,755±$399Highest 56% above MA
	Cohasset and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,560Lowest 9% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.4%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.6%±15.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Cohasset and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Highest MA: 10%	3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA	1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minLowest 23% above MA	37 minHighest 28% above MA
Work from home	25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6%	25.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#81 of 282 in MA	#41 of 282 in MA
School district	Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton	Cohasset
High school in town	Canton High	Cohasset High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	9.0Lowest
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.