Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Salem vs Halifax 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).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Halifax has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Salem | Halifax | Dighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,845Lowest |
44,795Highest |
7,748 |
8,193 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2 7% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
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%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax 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%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Pinehurst and Halifax 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% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
35.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Salem 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 |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$118,556±$11k 14% 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 |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$481,500±$51kLowest 14% below MA |
$501,900±$47k 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1kHighest 10% above MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$1,804±$375 about the MA average |
$1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA |
| Pinehurst and Salem 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 |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$6,840Highest 14% above MA |
$6,452 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1 MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.9% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Salem and Halifax 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 | — | #248 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Salem | Halifax | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth |
| High school in town | — | Salem High | None in town | Bristol County Agricultural High |
| 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.