What stands out worked out from the figures below

Eastham has the shortest commute (19 min average).

Canton has the highest household income ($143k).

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	Eastham	Canton
People
Population	5,811Lowest	24,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+13%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	60.4±2.5Highest 51% above MA	42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA
Kids under 18	12.5%±3Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	40.9%±6Highest MA: 17.9%	18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	67.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Canton and Eastham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,992±$8kLowest 30% below MA	$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$732,200±$63kHighest 30% above MA	$710,600±$27kLowest 26% above MA
	Eastham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,747±$101Lowest about the MA average	$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,973Lowest 17% below MA	$6,560Highest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	83.8%±77.7Highest MA: 51.8%	52.4%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Eastham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Highest MA: 10%	5.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 36% below MA	36 minHighest 23% above MA
Work from home	20.4%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Canton and Eastham 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	#17 of 282 in MA	#81 of 282 in MA
School district	Eastham · Nauset	Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton
High school in town	Nauset Regional High	Canton High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	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.