Compare towns
Brookfield vs Dedham vs Lyman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most homeowners (98.4%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
Lyman has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Brookfield | Dedham | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567 |
25,237Highest |
464Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7 49% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
60.8±6.5Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Lyman and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±6.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
38.6%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyman and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$31k about the U.S. average |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$71,042±$17kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61k 29% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$311,100±$66kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,147±$81Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,926 90% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$3,981Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 56.4%±10Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyman and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
3.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dedham and Brookfield 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 | — | #119 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Dedham | — |
| High school in town | — | Dedham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.