Compare towns
Dedham vs Durham 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
Dedham has the oldest population (median age 44.6).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Needham | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
10,681Lowest |
32,459 |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
33.3±0.2 14% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Needham 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% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±0.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±0.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4% 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% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±0.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$112,070±$25k 39% 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. |
$498,000±$45kLowest 50% 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. |
$1,302±$211Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$2,147±$25 52% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% 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% |
53.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 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. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #9 of 120 in NH | #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 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.