Compare towns
Dighton vs Peabody vs Somerset
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%).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
Somerset has the most affordable homes ($419k median).
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 | Peabody | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,193Lowest |
54,695Highest |
18,298 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±2.9Lowest 7% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
47±2.2Highest 18% above MA |
| Somerset and Peabody 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% |
18.9%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Dighton and Somerset 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%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
25.3%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Somerset and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Somerset and Peabody 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 |
$112,677±$6k 8% above MA |
| Dighton and Somerset 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 |
$596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA |
$418,800±$18kLowest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,405±$192 20% below MA |
$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
$1,271±$93Lowest 28% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,452Highest 8% above MA |
$5,065 15% below MA |
$4,977Lowest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±12.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 11%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Somerset 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 | #228 of 282 in MA | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth | Peabody | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | Bristol County Agricultural High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
10.3Lowest |
11.6 |
| 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.