Compare towns
Dedham vs Hadley vs Canton
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Hadley | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
5,306Lowest |
24,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
| Hadley and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
61.3% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Dedham 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 24% above MA |
$119,259±$12kLowest 15% above MA |
$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
| Canton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA |
$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
| Canton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
$6,560 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Hadley 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 | #116 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Hadley | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | — | Hopkins Academy | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.3Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.