Compare towns
Dedham vs Kennebunk vs Needham vs Boston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kennebunk has the most affordable homes ($488k median).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
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 | Kennebunk | Needham | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
11,820Lowest |
32,459 |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kLowest 47% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$2,147±$25 52% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±1.2 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% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Needham 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 | #9 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | RSU 21 | Needham | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | — | Kennebunk High School | Needham High | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Lowest |
11.9 |
18.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.