Compare towns
Cavendish vs Dedham vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the most affordable homes ($285k median).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Cavendish | Dedham | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,242Lowest |
25,237 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Cavendish and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cavendish and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 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 | $89,063±$29kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Dedham | Needham |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | 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.