Compare towns
Somerset vs Worcester 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).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Dighton has the highest household income ($137k).
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 | Worcester | Dighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,298 |
207,055Highest |
8,193Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1% MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.2Highest 18% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
42.7±2.9 7% above MA |
| Somerset and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
21%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Dighton and Worcester 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% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,677±$6k 8% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$136,646±$19kHighest 31% above MA |
| Dighton and Somerset 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 |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$501,900±$47kHighest 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,271±$93Lowest 28% below MA |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
$1,405±$192 20% below MA |
| Worcester and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,977 17% below MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$6,452Highest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±12.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Somerset and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 8% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Somerset and Worcester 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 | #132 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth |
| High school in town | Somerset Berkley Regional High School | South High Community | Bristol County Agricultural High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
14.6Highest |
11.9 |
| 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.