Compare towns
Dedham vs Marblehead vs Canton vs Boston
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 affordable homes ($662k median).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Marblehead | Canton | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
20,413Lowest |
24,748 |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead 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% MA: 47.3% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
67.5% MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$2,147±$25 22% above MA |
| Canton and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$6,560 9% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2 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% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Marblehead | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | — | Marblehead High | Canton High | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
13.1 |
18.7Highest |
| 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.