Compare towns
Middleton vs Beverly vs Marblehead vs Dighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has the most homeowners (92.7%).
Beverly has the most renters (39.9% rent).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
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 | Middleton | Beverly | Marblehead | Dighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816 |
42,665Highest |
20,413 |
8,193Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 8% above MA |
39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
42.7±2.9 7% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% MA: 47.3% |
53.4% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$136,646±$19k 31% above MA |
| Marblehead and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
$650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$501,900±$47kLowest 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$1,771±$106Highest about the MA average |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA |
| Beverly and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$6,836 14% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$6,452Lowest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3 MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8 MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Beverly and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
60.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Beverly | Marblehead | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth |
| High school in town | None in town | Beverly High | Marblehead High | Bristol County Agricultural High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.9 |
| 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.