Compare towns
Boxborough vs Canton vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxborough has the highest household income ($145k).
Canton has the most people working from home (25.7%).
Dedham has the most affordable homes ($662k 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 | Boxborough | Canton | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,496Lowest |
24,748 |
25,237Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±1.6 7% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
| Dedham and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.9 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±4.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.5% MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Boxborough and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $144,611±$35kHighest 39% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
| Boxborough and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $706,900±$72k 26% above MA |
$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
| Canton and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,887±$173Lowest 7% above MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
| Canton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.8%±22.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±6.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton 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 | #31 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Dedham |
| High school in town | None in town | Canton High | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
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.