What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dighton has the highest household income ($137k).

Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).

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.

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

Measure	Dighton	Ayer
People
Population	8,193Lowest	8,645Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+14.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.7±2.9Highest 7% above MA	39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average
	Dighton and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±4Highest MA: 19.4%	20.3%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Dighton and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.5%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9%	14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dighton and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	42.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Ayer and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$136,646±$19kHighest 31% above MA	$101,875±$15kLowest about the MA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$501,900±$47kHighest 11% below MA	$463,800±$29kLowest 17% below MA
	Dighton and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA	$1,415±$180Highest 20% below MA
	Ayer and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,452Highest 8% above MA	$5,057Lowest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	45.1%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	2.9%Lowest MA: 10%	10.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 6% above MA	33 minHighest 13% above MA
Work from home	11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#85 of 282 in MA	#113 of 282 in MA
School district	Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth	Ayer Shirley School District
High school in town	Bristol County Agricultural High	Ayer Shirley Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	11.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	12 photos →

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.