Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Dover vs Dighton vs Southampton
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 youngest population (median age 42.6).
Dover has the most people working from home (34.2%).
Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).
Southampton has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Dover | Dighton | Southampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,845 |
5,930Lowest |
8,193Highest |
6,230 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2Lowest 7% above MA |
44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
42.7±2.9 7% above MA |
43.4±3.5 9% above MA |
| Dover and Southampton 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% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Dighton 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% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Southampton 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% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.9% MA: 47.3% |
41.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover 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 |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$136,646±$19k 31% above MA |
$123,125±$23kLowest 18% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22k 11% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$501,900±$47k 11% below MA |
$452,300±$25kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA |
— |
| Dover and Pinehurst 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,452 8% above MA |
$5,470Lowest 9% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100 MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±18.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Pinehurst and Southampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7% MA: 10% |
2.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
90.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 7% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
8.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA | #205 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth | Southampton |
| High school in town | — | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Bristol County Agricultural High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— |
| 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.