What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).

Bolton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dedham	Bolton
People
Population	25,237Highest	5,737Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+15.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA	41.2±1.7Lowest 3% above MA
Kids under 18	18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	25%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9%	15.7%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55%Lowest MA: 47.3%	81.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	3.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Dedham and Bolton 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	$205,449±$31kHighest 98% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA	$796,000±$49kHighest 42% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA	$1,583±$1kLowest 10% below MA
	Dedham and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,918Lowest 32% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8%	12.7%±45.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Dedham and Bolton 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%	2.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	94.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA	1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	37 minHighest 26% above MA
Work from home	20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	40.5%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#119 of 282 in MA	#28 of 282 in MA
School district	Dedham	Nashoba
High school in town	Dedham High	Nashoba Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	12.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.