Compare towns
Boston vs Canton vs Dedham vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Canton has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Dedham has the most affordable homes ($662k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Boston | Canton | Dedham | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
24,748 |
25,237 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Canton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16kLowest 99% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25 52% above U.S. |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182Lowest 45% above U.S. |
— |
| Canton and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Dedham | — |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Canton High | Dedham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
13.1 |
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.