Compare towns
Dedham vs Gray vs Windham 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 most renters (26.6% rent).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Windham has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Gray | Windham | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
8,429Lowest |
19,188 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Gray 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% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%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%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% 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% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 | Needham |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Windham High School | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1 |
11.9Lowest |
| 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.