Compare towns
Canton vs Dighton vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most expensive homes ($711k median).
Dighton has the most homeowners (90.1%).
Shrewsbury has the youngest population (median age 40.6).
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 | Canton | Dighton | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748 |
8,193Lowest |
38,876Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
42.7±2.9Highest 7% above MA |
40.6±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
| Dighton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
21%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Shrewsbury 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% |
17.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Canton and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$136,646±$19kLowest 31% above MA |
$139,302±$11k 34% above MA |
| Canton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$501,900±$47kLowest 11% below MA |
$592,300±$20k 5% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,116±$98 20% above MA |
| Canton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 9% above MA |
$6,452Lowest 8% above MA |
$6,923Highest 16% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
44.2%±6.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Canton and Shrewsbury 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% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
90.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Canton High | Bristol County Agricultural High | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
11.9Lowest |
14.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.