Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Methuen vs Dighton
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 expensive homes ($624k median).
Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Dighton has the oldest population (median age 42.7).
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 | Methuen | Dighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,845Lowest |
53,475Highest |
8,193 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2 7% above MA |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average |
42.7±2.9Highest 7% above MA |
| Dighton and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Methuen and Dighton 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% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Pinehurst and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2% MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Methuen 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±$27kHighest 41% above MA |
$113,310±$7kLowest 9% above MA |
$136,646±$19k 31% above MA |
| Pinehurst and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22kHighest 11% above MA |
$499,700±$17kLowest 11% below MA |
$501,900±$47k 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1kHighest 10% above MA |
$1,749±$91 about the MA average |
$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA |
| Pinehurst and Methuen 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 |
$5,061Lowest 16% below MA |
$6,452Highest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1 MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Methuen 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% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Pinehurst and Methuen 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 | — | #236 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Methuen | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth |
| High school in town | — | Methuen High | Bristol County Agricultural High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
11.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.