Compare towns
Dedham vs Needham vs Plympton
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).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Plympton has the most affordable homes ($518k 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 | Needham | Plympton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
32,459Highest |
2,935Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.2Highest 16% above MA |
| Plympton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Plympton 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% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plympton 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
38.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8Lowest 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±$10k 24% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$126,736±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$517,800±$52kLowest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,628Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
93.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #110 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Needham | Plympton |
| High school in town | — | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
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| 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.