Compare towns
Dedham vs Deerfield vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
5,158Lowest |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
51.3±3.5 28% above MA |
| Deerfield and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 24% above MA |
$106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$93,361±$6kLowest 10% below MA |
| Dedham and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA |
$478,700±$27k 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA |
$1,691±$411 4% below MA |
| Dedham and Salisbury 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 |
$5,824 about the MA average |
$4,604Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
78.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Dedham and Salisbury 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Deerfield · Frontier | Triton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Frontier Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.1Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.