Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Wellesley vs Halifax vs Middleton
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%).
Wellesley has the most people working from home (32%).
Halifax has the most affordable homes ($482k median).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Wellesley | Halifax | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,845Lowest |
30,347Highest |
7,748 |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2 7% above MA |
37.1±2.2Lowest 7% below MA |
41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
43.1±2Highest 8% above MA |
| Middleton 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% |
24.1%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Wellesley and Halifax 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% |
15.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 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% |
89%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
18.3%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $146,250±$27k 41% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$118,556±$11kLowest 14% above MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22k 11% above MA |
$1,582,700±$49kHighest 182% above MA |
$481,500±$51kLowest 14% below MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$2,886±$360Highest 64% above MA |
$1,804±$375 about the MA average |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
| Wellesley 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 |
$6,840 14% above MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1 MA: 51.8% |
44.1%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Halifax and Wellesley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.9% MA: 10% |
4%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5% MA: 62.5% |
92.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
32%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #6 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Halifax | Middleton |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.