Compare towns
Dedham vs Dighton vs Halifax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).
Halifax has the most homeowners (95.5%).
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 | Dedham | Dighton | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
8,193 |
7,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
42.7±2.9 7% above MA |
41.9±4.7Lowest 5% above MA |
| Dedham and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$136,646±$19kHighest 31% above MA |
$118,556±$11kLowest 14% above MA |
| Dighton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$501,900±$47k 11% below MA |
$481,500±$51kLowest 14% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,804±$375 about the MA average |
| Dedham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,452Lowest 8% above MA |
$6,840 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 6% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Dedham and Halifax 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth | Halifax |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Bristol County Agricultural High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.9Highest |
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| 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.