Compare towns
Middleton vs Ogunquit vs Peabody 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
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
Dighton has the most affordable homes ($502k 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 | Middleton | Ogunquit | Peabody | Dighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816 |
1,379Lowest |
54,695Highest |
8,193 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
45.3±2.4 16% above U.S. |
42.7±2.9Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
21%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dighton and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Peabody and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$96,657±$4kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$136,646±$19k 69% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48k 123% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$596,200±$12k 79% above U.S. |
$501,900±$47kLowest 51% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284 about the U.S. average |
— | $1,950±$99Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,405±$192Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,065 62% above U.S. |
$6,452 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.8%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 282 in MA | — | #228 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | — | Peabody | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Bristol County Agricultural High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.