What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).

Bellingham has the most people working from home (18.3%).

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	Dighton	Bellingham
People
Population	8,193Lowest	17,410Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.7±2.9Highest 7% above MA	38.2±1.5Lowest 4% below MA
Kids under 18	21%±4Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.1%±3.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Bellingham and Dighton 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%	14.9%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dighton and Bellingham 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%	40.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±2Highest MA: 7.9%	3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Dighton and Bellingham 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	$125,307±$10kLowest 21% above MA
	Dighton and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$501,900±$47kHighest 11% below MA	$450,700±$13kLowest 20% below MA
	Dighton and Bellingham 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	$1,836±$196Highest 4% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,452Highest 8% above MA	$5,030Lowest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	62.8%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	2.9%Lowest MA: 10%	5.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 6% above MA	36 minHighest 24% above MA
Work from home	11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	18.3%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#85 of 282 in MA	#232 of 282 in MA
School district	Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth	Bellingham
High school in town	Bristol County Agricultural High	Bellingham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	12.4Highest
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.