Compare towns
Coventry vs Dedham vs Needham vs Scituate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Coventry has the most affordable homes ($356k median).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
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 | Coventry | Dedham | Needham | Scituate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
25,237 |
32,459 |
10,517Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±1.1 13% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.9±4Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Scituate and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scituate and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$112,315±$23k 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,200±$11kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$449,300±$26k 35% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,489±$251 5% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,099Lowest 63% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,265 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.6%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Scituate and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 38 in RI | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #17 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Coventry | Dedham | Needham | Scituate |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | Dedham High | Needham High | Scituate High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
10.4Lowest |
11.9 |
10.8 |
| 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.