Compare towns
Dedham vs Framingham vs Burlington
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).
Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Framingham | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Lowest |
72,399Highest |
26,274 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.9% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
| Burlington 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Framingham 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% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% MA: 47.3% |
48.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Framingham 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±$10k 24% above MA |
$107,419±$6kLowest 3% above MA |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
| Burlington and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$627,300±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,033±$57Lowest 15% above MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,884 15% above MA |
$6,165Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Framingham 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% |
10.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Burlington and Dedham 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 | #229 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Burlington |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Framingham High School | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.7Highest |
11.3 |
| 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.