Compare towns

Canton vs Windsor vs Windsor Locks vs Dedham

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 people working from home (25.7%).
Windsor has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Dedham has the oldest population (median age 44.6).

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.

MeasureCantonWindsorWindsor LocksDedham
People
Population
24,748
29,468Highest
12,579Lowest
25,237
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+13%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
— —
+2.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
42.6±2.3
10% above U.S.
43.7±1.9
12% above U.S.
41.4±2.6Lowest
6% above U.S.
44.6±1.6Highest
15% above U.S.
Dedham and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
22.9%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.2%±2.1
U.S.: 22%
18.6%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18.6%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Canton and Windsor 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%
20%±2
U.S.: 17.2%
18.2%±2.7Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
21.9%±2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Dedham and Windsor 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%
43.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
28.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
55%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.5%±1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.9%±1.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.9%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$143,381±$9kHighest
78% above U.S.
$104,725±$8k
30% above U.S.
$81,205±$13kLowest
about the U.S. average
$128,955±$10k
60% 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
$710,600±$27kHighest
114% above U.S.
$305,200±$11k
8% below U.S.
$258,800±$14kLowest
22% below U.S.
$661,800±$16k
99% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,315±$178Highest
64% above U.S.
$1,681±$62
19% above U.S.
$1,394±$187Lowest
about the U.S. average
$2,042±$182
45% above 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
$6,560
110% above U.S.
$5,351
72% above U.S.
$3,688Lowest
18% above U.S.
$7,918Highest
154% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52.4%±9.1
U.S.: 51.1%
44.9%±10.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
58.2%±16.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
56.4%±10
U.S.: 51.1%
Windsor Locks and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
10.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
5.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
82.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
77.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
73.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1980Highest
same as U.S.
1970
10 yrs older than U.S.
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
1956Lowest
24 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
36 minHighest
36% above U.S.
21 minLowest
19% below U.S.
22 min
17% below U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
Work from home
25.7%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
16.1%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.7%±3.7
U.S.: 15.1%
20%±2.7
U.S.: 15.1%
Canton and Dedham 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 #117 of 149 in CT #109 of 149 in CT #119 of 282 in MA
School district Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District Windsor Locks School District Dedham
High school in town Canton High Windsor High School Windsor Locks High School Dedham High
Students per teacherat that high school
13.1Highest
10.2
8.9Lowest
10.4
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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.