Compare towns
Dedham vs Deerfield vs Lee vs Ogunquit
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 kids (18.6% under 18).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Deerfield | Lee | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
5,158 |
5,719 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
51.8±3.6 33% above U.S. |
55.2±5.8 42% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.2%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±5 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.9%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Deerfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$106,136±$14k 31% above U.S. |
$83,750±$13kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$414,900±$37k 25% above U.S. |
$352,700±$19kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,334±$318Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,375±$212 about the U.S. average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$5,824 87% above U.S. |
$3,980Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.1%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lee and Dedham 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% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
18 min 31% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #156 of 282 in MA | #209 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Dedham | Deerfield · Frontier | Lee | — |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Frontier Regional | Lee Middle/High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
11.1Highest |
9.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 20 photos → | 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.