Compare towns
Dedham vs Dorset vs Needham vs Boston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorset has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Dorset | Needham | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
2,092Lowest |
32,459 |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
45.9±7.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Dorset 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 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.5 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% U.S.: 35.7% |
72.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$111,250±$40k 38% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$569,200±$57kLowest 71% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,420±$296Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$2,147±$25 52% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$7,489 140% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset 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% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.3%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham and Dorset 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 | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Needham | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | Needham High | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.9 |
18.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.