Compare towns
Dedham vs Suffield vs Burlington vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Burlington has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
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 | Suffield | Burlington | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
15,702Lowest |
26,274 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
45.9±2.2Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 60% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$146,436±$14k 81% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$740,600±$35k 123% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,718±$368Highest 92% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183 70% above U.S. |
| Burlington and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$6,165Lowest 98% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 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% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #83 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Suffield School District | Burlington | — |
| High school in town | — | Suffield High School | Burlington High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Lowest |
11.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.