Compare towns
Halifax vs Easthampton vs Dighton vs Plympton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Easthampton has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Dighton has the highest household income ($137k).
Plympton has the most expensive homes ($518k 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 | Halifax | Easthampton | Dighton | Plympton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,748 |
16,086Highest |
8,193 |
2,935Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7Lowest 5% above MA |
46±2.6 15% above MA |
42.7±2.9 7% above MA |
46.4±4.2Highest 16% above MA |
| Plympton and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
| Easthampton and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% MA: 47.3% |
38% MA: 47.3% |
35.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
38.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Easthampton 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 14% above MA |
$71,673±$7kLowest 31% below MA |
$136,646±$19kHighest 31% above MA |
$126,736±$20k 22% above MA |
| Dighton and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51k 14% below MA |
$371,500±$15kLowest 34% below MA |
$501,900±$47k 11% below MA |
$517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
| Plympton and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375Highest about the MA average |
$1,292±$70 27% below MA |
$1,405±$192 20% below MA |
$555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
| Halifax and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,840Highest 14% above MA |
$4,932Lowest 18% below MA |
$6,452 8% above MA |
$6,628 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Plympton 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 MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
93.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton and Easthampton 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 | #92 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA | #110 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Easthampton | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth | Plympton |
| High school in town | None in town | Easthampton High | Bristol County Agricultural High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— |
| 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.