Compare towns
Canton vs Dedham vs Wellfleet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most people working from home (25.7%).
Dedham has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Wellfleet has grown the fastest since 2010 (+29.7%).
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 | Canton | Dedham | Wellfleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748 |
25,237Highest |
4,404Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+29.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
58.4±4.1Highest 46% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
14.4%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
35.3%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 | $143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$117,938±$27kLowest 13% above MA |
| Canton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$855,300±$70kHighest 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,563±$597Lowest 11% below MA |
| Canton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 9% above MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$4,862Lowest 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
28.6%±23.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Wellfleet 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 | Wellfleet |
| 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 |
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.