Compare towns
Dighton vs Buzzards Bay vs Freetown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).
Buzzards Bay has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Freetown has the highest household income ($144k).
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 | Dighton | Buzzards Bay | Freetown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,193 |
2,909Lowest |
9,285Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±2.9 7% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
40.9±3.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±4 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Freetown and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $136,646±$19k 31% above MA |
$94,388±$12kLowest 9% below MA |
$143,884±$15kHighest 38% above MA |
| Freetown and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $501,900±$47k 11% below MA |
$454,500±$28kLowest 19% below MA |
$518,200±$30kHighest 8% below MA |
| Freetown and Dighton 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 |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,891±$363Highest 7% above MA |
| Freetown and Buzzards Bay 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 |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,188 13% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
39.2%±12.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Freetown and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 11%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Buzzards Bay and Dighton 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 | #85 of 282 in MA | — | #161 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth | — | Freetown-Lakeville |
| High school in town | Bristol County Agricultural High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — |
| 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.