What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dedham has the most homeowners (73.4%).

Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

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	Boston
People
Population	25,237Lowest	666,442Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA	33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA
Kids under 18	18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4%	15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9%	13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55%Highest MA: 47.3%	54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA	$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA	$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,042±$182Lowest 16% above MA	$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA
	Boston and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,918Highest 32% above MA	$4,456Lowest 26% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8%	51.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Dedham and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Lowest MA: 10%	16.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA	1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	30 minHighest 4% above MA
Work from home	20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6%
	Boston and Dedham 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	#258 of 282 in MA
School district	Dedham	Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston
High school in town	Dedham High	Boston Latin School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	18.7Highest
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.