What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).

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	Salem
People
Population	8,193Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.7±2.9Highest 7% above MA	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average
	Dighton and Salem 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%	15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Dighton and Salem 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%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dighton and Salem 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%	47.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$136,646±$19kHighest 31% above MA	$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$501,900±$47kLowest 11% below MA	$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA
	Salem 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	$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,452Highest 8% above MA	$6,114Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	2.9%Lowest MA: 10%	12.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 6% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#85 of 282 in MA	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth	Salem
High school in town	Bristol County Agricultural High	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	9.8Lowest
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.