Compare towns
Dedham vs Eastham vs Marshfield
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 renters (26.6% rent).
Eastham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.1%).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.8%).
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 | Eastham | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
5,811Lowest |
25,879Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
60.4±2.5Highest 51% above MA |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
12.5%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Marshfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
40.9%±6Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.4% MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Marshfield 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 |
$72,992±$8kLowest 30% below MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
| Dedham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$732,200±$63kHighest 30% above MA |
$680,300±$27k 21% above MA |
| Eastham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,747±$101Lowest about the MA average |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
| Dedham and Marshfield 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 |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
$6,656 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
83.8%±77.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Eastham and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
19 minLowest 36% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Marshfield and Eastham 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 | #17 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Eastham · Nauset | Marshfield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Nauset Regional High | Marshfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
9.8Lowest |
11.0Highest |
| 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.