Compare towns
Dedham vs Devens vs Upton
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 expensive homes ($662k median).
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Devens | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
1,723Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Devens and Upton 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% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Upton 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% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Devens 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 |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Devens and Upton 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 |
$556,800±$96kLowest about the MA average |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Dedham and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$5,556Lowest 7% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens 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% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Devens and Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | — | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.