Compare towns
Bath vs Dedham vs Needham vs West Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
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 | Bath | Dedham | Needham | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
25,237 |
32,459Highest |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Bath and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27k 28% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102k 27% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dedham | — | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Dedham High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.