What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Peabody has the most renters (34.4% 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	Peabody
People
Population	8,193Lowest	54,695Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.7±2.9Lowest 7% above MA	45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA
	Peabody and Dighton 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%	18.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Dighton and Peabody 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%	24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	35%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
	Peabody 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	$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$501,900±$47kLowest 11% below MA	$596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA	$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,452Highest 8% above MA	$5,065Lowest 15% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	2.9%Lowest MA: 10%	7.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	11%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6%	10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Dighton and Peabody 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	#228 of 282 in MA
School district	Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth	Peabody
High school in town	Bristol County Agricultural High	Peabody Veterans Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	10.3Lowest
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.