Compare towns
Dedham vs Fairhaven vs Wareham vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Fairhaven has the oldest housing (typical home built 1952).
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
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 | Fairhaven | Wareham | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
15,903Lowest |
23,302 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Wareham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Fairhaven | Wareham | — |
| High school in town | — | Fairhaven High | Wareham Senior High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.