Compare towns
Plympton vs Lawrence vs Halifax
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plympton has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Halifax has the most homeowners (95.5%).
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 | Plympton | Lawrence | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,935Lowest |
88,736Highest |
7,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.2Highest 16% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
| Plympton and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Plympton and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$118,556±$11k 14% above MA |
| Plympton and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
$415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
$481,500±$51k 14% below MA |
| Plympton and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$1,804±$375Highest about the MA average |
| Halifax and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,628 11% above MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$6,840Highest 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±40.6 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% MA: 10% |
17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton 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 | #110 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plympton | Lawrence | Halifax |
| High school in town | None in town | Lawrence High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6 |
— |
| 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.