Compare towns
Brockton vs Dedham vs Lynn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brockton has the most affordable homes ($438k median).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Lynn has the most renters (51.9% rent).
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 | Brockton | Dedham | Lynn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 105,386Highest |
25,237Lowest |
101,709 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.7±0.8 8% below MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 25.3%±1Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Brockton and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Brockton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,115±$3k 23% below MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $437,500±$8kLowest 22% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$510,100±$23k 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,641±$52Lowest 7% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,722±$60 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,820Lowest 20% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$5,384 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynn and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.5% MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
48.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 8% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 6.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #279 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #277 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brockton | Dedham | Lynn |
| High school in town | Brockton High | Dedham High | Lynn English High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.0Highest |
10.4Lowest |
15.0 |
| 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.