Compare towns
Somerset vs Dedham vs Fall River vs Dighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerset has the oldest population (median age 47).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
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 | Somerset | Dedham | Fall River | Dighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,298 |
25,237 |
94,082Highest |
8,193Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.2Highest 18% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
42.7±2.9 7% above MA |
| Somerset and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
21%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Dighton and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.3%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Somerset and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,677±$6k 8% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$136,646±$19kHighest 31% above MA |
| Dighton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $418,800±$18k 25% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$501,900±$47k 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,271±$93 28% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,405±$192 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,977 17% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$6,452 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±12.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Somerset and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 8% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #132 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset | Dedham | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth |
| High school in town | Somerset Berkley Regional High School | Dedham High | B M C Durfee High | Bristol County Agricultural High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
10.4Lowest |
11.3 |
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.