Compare towns
Dedham vs Millis vs Norfolk 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).
Millis has the most affordable homes ($604k median).
Norfolk has the most homeowners (94.9%).
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 | Millis | Norfolk | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
8,888Lowest |
11,673 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
41.6±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
| Millis 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% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Norfolk 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% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Millis 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% |
54.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
61.6% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$155,996±$9k 50% above MA |
$200,720±$22k 93% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Needham and Norfolk 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 |
$603,500±$31kLowest 7% above MA |
$725,200±$34k 29% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,696±$279Lowest 4% below MA |
$2,019±$598 15% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Lowest 32% above MA |
$9,344 56% above MA |
$9,651 61% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±16Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Norfolk and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
2.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.6%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Norfolk 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 | #63 of 282 in MA | #123 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Millis | King Philip · Millis | — |
| High school in town | — | Millis High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.