What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plympton has the most people working from home (19.3%).

Southampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plympton	Southampton
People
Population	2,935Lowest	6,230Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.4±4.2Highest 16% above MA	43.4±3.5Lowest 9% above MA
	Plympton and Southampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4%	19.1%±4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Plympton and Southampton 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%	21.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Plympton and Southampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	41.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9%
	Southampton and Plympton 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	$123,125±$23kLowest 18% above MA
	Plympton and Southampton 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	$452,300±$25kLowest 20% below MA
	Plympton and Southampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$555±$148 69% below MA	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,628Highest 11% above MA	$5,470Lowest 9% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.8%±40.6Highest MA: 51.8%	26.2%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Plympton and Southampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.3%Highest MA: 10%	2.6%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	90.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 17 yrs newer than MA	1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 13% above MA	22 minLowest 23% below MA
Work from home	19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6%	8.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#110 of 282 in MA	#205 of 282 in MA
School district	Plympton	Southampton
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.