What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dighton has the most homeowners (90.1%).

Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).

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	Methuen
People
Population	8,193Lowest	53,475Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.3% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	42.7±2.9Highest 7% above MA	39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average
	Dighton and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±4Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.3%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Methuen 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%	17.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dighton and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	31%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Methuen 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	$113,310±$7kLowest 9% above MA
	Dighton and Methuen 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	$499,700±$17kLowest 11% below MA
	Dighton and Methuen 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	$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,452Highest 8% above MA	$5,061Lowest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	48.4%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	2.9%Lowest MA: 10%	7.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.2%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Methuen 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	#236 of 282 in MA
School district	Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth	Methuen
High school in town	Bristol County Agricultural High	Methuen High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	13.1Highest
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.