Compare towns
Canton vs Suffield vs Dedham vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most expensive homes ($711k median).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Dedham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Shrewsbury has the youngest population (median age 40.6).
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 | Suffield | Dedham | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748 |
15,702Lowest |
25,237 |
38,876Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
40.6±1.5Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Shrewsbury 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 78% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$139,302±$11k 73% above U.S. |
| Canton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$592,300±$20k 78% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,116±$98 50% above U.S. |
| Canton and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 110% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$6,923 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shrewsbury and Canton 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #119 of 282 in MA | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Suffield School District | Dedham | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | Canton High | Suffield High School | Dedham High | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
10.9 |
10.4Lowest |
14.4Highest |
| 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.