Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Marshfield vs Dighton 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 homeowners (97.4%).
Marshfield has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).
Bedford has the most expensive homes ($899k 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 | Pinehurst | Marshfield | Dighton | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,845Lowest |
25,879Highest |
8,193 |
14,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2Lowest 7% above MA |
45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
42.7±2.9 7% above MA |
44.3±1.6 11% above MA |
| Marshfield 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% |
19.6%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Dighton 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% |
20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Pinehurst and Marshfield 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% |
52.4% MA: 47.3% |
35.9% MA: 47.3% |
69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2 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±$27k 41% above MA |
$125,986±$8kLowest 21% above MA |
$136,646±$19k 31% above MA |
$172,400±$23kHighest 66% above MA |
| Bedford and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22k 11% above MA |
$680,300±$27k 21% above MA |
$501,900±$47kLowest 11% below MA |
$898,500±$43kHighest 60% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,622±$327Highest 49% above MA |
| Bedford and Pinehurst 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 |
$6,656 11% above MA |
$6,452 8% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
42%±9.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 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 |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Bedford and Marshfield 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 | — | #54 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA | #7 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Marshfield | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth | Bedford |
| High school in town | — | Marshfield High | Bristol County Agricultural High | Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0Lowest |
11.9Highest |
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.