Compare towns
Cabot vs Dedham vs Needham vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($214k 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 | Cabot | Dedham | Needham | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,579Lowest |
25,237 |
32,459Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±6.6 4% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
38.7±6.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Cabot 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% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.1 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% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,031±$16k 5% below U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$60,313±$10kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,500±$77k 19% below U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$214,100±$37kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,243±$354Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,317±$126 7% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,639 49% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,668Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±26.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
65.7%±73.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Marshfield and Dedham 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.4%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.5%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham and Marshfield 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 | #19 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 | 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.