What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middlefield has the most affordable homes ($333k median).

Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).

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	Middlefield	Buzzards Bay
People
Population	352Lowest	2,909Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA	54.4±5.9Lowest 36% above MA
	Middlefield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	6.7%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Buzzards Bay and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.7%±8.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Buzzards Bay and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Buzzards Bay and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,750±$23kHighest about the MA average	$94,388±$12kLowest 9% below MA
	Middlefield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$332,800±$48kLowest 41% below MA	$454,500±$28kHighest 19% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA	$1,484±$601Lowest 16% below MA
	Middlefield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,926Highest 18% below MA	$3,405Lowest 43% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	100%±100Highest MA: 51.8%	37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Middlefield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.2%Highest MA: 10%	7.3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest about the MA average	32 minHighest 10% above MA
Work from home	13.2%±9.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Buzzards Bay and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.