What stands out worked out from the figures below

Taunton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).

Middleborough has the most people working from home (13.6%).

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	Taunton	Middleborough
People
Population	60,433Highest	24,505Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	38.9±1.3Lowest about the MA average	43.4±2.1Highest 9% above MA
Kids under 18	21.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4%	18.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Taunton and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	32%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9%	3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Taunton and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,283±$7kLowest 24% below MA	$97,056±$7kHighest 7% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$422,800±$9kLowest 25% below MA	$468,700±$18kHighest 17% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,324±$86Lowest 25% below MA	$1,706±$72Highest 3% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,344Lowest 28% below MA	$6,023Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.8%±5.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.2%±11.4Highest MA: 51.8%
	Middleborough and Taunton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13%Highest MA: 10%	6.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	76.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	31 minHighest 7% above MA
Work from home	8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	13.6%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#253 of 282 in MA	#170 of 282 in MA
School district	Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational Technical · Taunton	Middleborough
High school in town	Taunton High	Middleborough High
Students per teacherat that high school	16.6Highest	11.3Lowest
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.