Compare towns
Halifax vs Calais vs Dighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).
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 | Halifax | Calais | Dighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,748 |
1,713Lowest |
8,193Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7Lowest 8% above U.S. |
42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
42.7±2.9Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Dighton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Calais and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,556±$11k 47% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$136,646±$19kHighest 69% above U.S. |
| Dighton and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51k 45% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$501,900±$47kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Dighton and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
$1,405±$192Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Halifax and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,840Highest 119% above U.S. |
$6,586 111% above U.S. |
$6,452Lowest 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Calais and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais and Halifax 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | — | #85 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bristol County Agricultural High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.