What stands out worked out from the figures below

Deerfield has the most people working from home (17.5%).

Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).

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	Deerfield	Rochester
People
Population	5,158Lowest	5,837Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA	46.5±6Lowest 16% above MA
	Deerfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.1%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4%
	Rochester and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9%	20.1%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Deerfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Deerfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,136±$14kLowest about the MA average	$120,273±$12kHighest 16% above MA
	Rochester and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA	$599,100±$31kHighest 7% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA	$1,432±$743Highest 19% below MA
	Rochester and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,824Lowest about the MA average	$6,530Highest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	39.1%±10.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Rochester and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Highest MA: 10%	5.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	88.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 40% below MA	37 minHighest 25% above MA
Work from home	17.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6%	8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Deerfield and Rochester 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	#156 of 282 in MA	#104 of 282 in MA
School district	Deerfield · Frontier	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester
High school in town	Frontier Regional	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	9.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.