Compare towns
Cabot vs Canton vs Dedham vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Dedham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Walden has the most homeowners (93.8%).
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 | Cabot | Canton | Dedham | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,579 |
24,748 |
25,237Highest |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±6.6Lowest 4% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Walden and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cabot and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,031±$16kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
| Canton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,500±$77k 19% below U.S. |
$710,600±$27kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$238,900±$23kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,243±$354 12% below U.S. |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Canton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,639 49% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±26.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.4%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canton and Cabot 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 | — | #81 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Dedham | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | — | Canton High | Dedham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.