Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Canton vs Bedford vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pinehurst has the most affordable homes ($624k median).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Bedford has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Pinehurst | Canton | Bedford | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,845Lowest |
24,748Highest |
14,727 |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2Lowest 7% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
44.3±1.6Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
| Bedford and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Pinehurst and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.5% MA: 47.3% |
69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bedford and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $146,250±$27k 41% above MA |
$143,381±$9kLowest 38% above MA |
$172,400±$23kHighest 66% above MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
| Bedford and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22kLowest 11% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$898,500±$43kHighest 60% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$2,622±$327Highest 49% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
| Bedford and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,316Lowest 5% above MA |
$6,560 9% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±9.5 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Canton and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
5.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 7% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Bedford and Canton 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 | — | #81 of 282 in MA | #7 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Bedford | Middleton |
| High school in town | — | Canton High | Bedford High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— |
| 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.