Compare towns
Whately vs Canton vs Deerfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whately has the most homeowners (88.2%).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Whately | Canton | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,499Lowest |
24,748Highest |
5,158 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.3±6.7 23% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
| Deerfield and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Whately and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,563±$15k 12% above MA |
$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$106,136±$14kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,500±$22k 23% below MA |
$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,334±$318 24% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,027Lowest 16% below MA |
$6,560Highest 9% above MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.7%±29 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Canton and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 21% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Whately 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 | — | #81 of 282 in MA | #156 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whately | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Deerfield · Frontier |
| High school in town | None in town | Canton High | Frontier Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.