Compare towns
Freetown vs Dighton vs Fall River vs Pepperell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freetown has the highest household income ($144k).
Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Freetown | Dighton | Fall River | Pepperell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,285 |
8,193Lowest |
94,082Highest |
11,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2 about the MA average |
42.7±2.9Highest 7% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±3.3 6% above MA |
| Dighton and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Freetown and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Pepperell and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% MA: 47.3% |
35.9% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Pepperell and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $143,884±$15kHighest 38% above MA |
$136,646±$19k 31% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$124,073±$12k 19% above MA |
| Freetown and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $518,200±$30kHighest 8% below MA |
$501,900±$47k 11% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$482,100±$14k 14% below MA |
| Freetown and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,891±$363Highest 7% above MA |
$1,405±$192 20% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,295±$238 27% below MA |
| Freetown and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,188 13% below MA |
$6,452 8% above MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$6,698Highest 12% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1 MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.1% MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% MA: 62.5% |
90.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #161 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Bristol County Agricultural High | B M C Durfee High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Highest |
11.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.