Compare towns
Chesterfield vs Dedham vs New Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chesterfield has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
Dedham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
New Braintree has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Chesterfield | Dedham | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,055 |
25,237Highest |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±7.6Lowest 11% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
47.8±4.6Highest 20% above MA |
| New Braintree and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±5.1 MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Braintree and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| New Braintree and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,967±$11k about the MA average |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$99,500±$8kLowest 4% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,800±$48kLowest 30% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$408,800±$27k 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$409Lowest 39% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,484±$316 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,969 about the MA average |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$5,508Lowest 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 10.3%±84.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.4%±6.7 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dedham and Chesterfield 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 | — | #119 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Chesterfield-Goshen | Dedham | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.