Compare towns
Dedham vs Danvers vs Needham vs Boston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the most affordable homes ($644k median).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
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 | Danvers | Needham | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237Lowest |
28,098 |
32,459 |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
| Danvers 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% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers 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% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Lowest 16% above MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,147±$25 22% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2 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% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | — | Needham | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | Dedham High | — | Needham High | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.9 |
18.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.