Compare towns
Boston vs Dedham vs Ogunquit vs Milton
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).
Dedham has the most affordable homes ($662k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Milton has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Dedham | Ogunquit | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
25,237 |
1,379Lowest |
28,587 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
41.1±1.8 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.3%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
71.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$188,529±$15kHighest 134% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16kLowest 99% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$933,200±$31kHighest 180% above U.S. |
| Milton and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 52% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
— | $1,474±$281Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Boston and Dedham 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. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$9,677Highest 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Boston 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.7%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Milton 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 | #258 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | — | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | — | — | Milton |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | — | — | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
— | — | 12.4Lowest |
| 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.