Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Needham 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 homeowners (97.4%).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).
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 | Needham | Dighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,845Lowest |
32,459Highest |
8,193 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2Lowest 7% above MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
42.7±2.9 7% above MA |
| Needham and Dighton 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Pinehurst and Needham 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Pinehurst and Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$136,646±$19kLowest 31% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22k 11% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$501,900±$47kLowest 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA |
| Needham 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,452 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr 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%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth |
| High school in town | — | — | Bristol County Agricultural High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9 |
| 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.