Compare towns
Bridgewater Town 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
Bridgewater Town has the most affordable homes ($533k median).
Dedham has the oldest population (median age 44.6).
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 | Bridgewater Town | Dedham | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,471 |
25,237Lowest |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.6±1.6Lowest 6% below MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 16.2%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,651±$7kLowest 8% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $533,100±$23kLowest 5% below MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,092±$177 19% above MA |
$2,042±$182Lowest 16% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Needham and Bridgewater Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,499Lowest 8% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±13.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.6% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 8% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #121 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bridgewater-Raynham | Dedham | — |
| High school in town | Bridgewater-Raynham Regional | Dedham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.1Highest |
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.