Compare towns
Boston vs Dedham vs Raynham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
Raynham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.1%).
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 | Raynham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
25,237 |
15,505Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
42.9±1.5 7% above MA |
| Dedham and Raynham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
20.4%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Raynham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Raynham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
39.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$124,012±$16k 19% above MA |
| Dedham and Raynham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$524,400±$29kLowest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,749±$74Lowest about the MA average |
| 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 26% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,752 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
67.1%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Raynham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
78.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
11.8%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Boston and Dedham 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 | #190 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Dedham | Bridgewater-Raynham |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Dedham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.