Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Chilmark vs Middleton vs Bedford
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).
Chilmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+40%).
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 | Chilmark | Middleton | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,845 |
1,578Lowest |
9,816 |
14,727Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+40%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2Lowest 7% above MA |
53.6±8.1Highest 34% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
44.3±1.6 11% above MA |
| Chilmark and Bedford 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% |
16.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Bedford and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±12.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Chilmark and Pinehurst 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% |
68.1% MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±1.9Highest 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±$27kLowest 41% above MA |
$168,750±$28k 62% above MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$172,400±$23kHighest 66% above MA |
| Bedford and Chilmark 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 |
$1,895,300±$281kHighest 237% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
$898,500±$43k 60% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$2,750±$2kHighest 56% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,622±$327 49% above MA |
| Chilmark and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,316 5% above MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1 MA: 51.8% |
30.8%±59.9 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
42%±9.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Bedford and Pinehurst 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% |
4.1% MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
5.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
92.7% MA: 62.5% |
68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 7% below MA |
32 minHighest 8% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±11 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Bedford and Chilmark 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 | — | — | #71 of 282 in MA | #7 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Up-Island Regional | Middleton | Bedford |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.2 |
| 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.