Compare towns
Dedham vs Brooklyn vs Plainfield 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
Dedham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
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 | Dedham | Brooklyn | Plainfield | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
8,517Lowest |
15,141 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 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 | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest 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 | #113 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Brooklyn School District | Plainfield School District | Needham |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Plainfield High School | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.