Compare towns
Dedham vs Reading vs Burlington
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).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Reading | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Lowest |
25,612 |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
| Burlington 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
58.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Burlington 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$146,436±$14k 41% above MA |
| Reading and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$740,600±$35k 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,991±$273Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$6,165Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Reading | Burlington |
| High school in town | — | Reading Memorial High | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.