Compare towns
Becket vs Dedham vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Becket has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
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 | Becket | Dedham | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,962Lowest |
25,237 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±4.7Highest 24% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Becket and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,417±$29kLowest 23% below MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,000±$82kLowest 36% below MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,107±$1k 20% above MA |
$2,042±$182Lowest 16% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Needham and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,047Lowest 49% below MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Dedham | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.