Compare towns
Canton vs Dover vs Hingham vs Needham
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 affordable homes ($711k median).
Dover has the most homeowners (97.9%).
Hingham has the oldest population (median age 48.4).
Needham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Dover | Hingham | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748 |
5,930Lowest |
24,283 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
44.9±2.3 12% above MA |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
| Hingham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
81.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kLowest 38% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$178,390±$15k 72% above MA |
$214,308±$13k 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kLowest 26% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47k 102% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
| Dover and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Lowest 31% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$2,465±$603 40% above MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
| Dover and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Dover and Hingham 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 | #1 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Hingham | Needham |
| High school in town | Canton High | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Hingham High | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
12.9 |
11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.