Compare towns
Dedham vs Freeport vs Kennebunk vs Needham
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 most renters (26.6% rent).
Freeport has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Kennebunk has the oldest population (median age 54.6).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
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 | Freeport | Kennebunk | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
8,802Lowest |
11,820 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3 25% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Freeport 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% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Needham 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 60% above U.S. |
$107,326±$19kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76k 53% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kLowest 47% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,439±$123 about the U.S. average |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport 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% |
8.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk and Needham 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | RSU 05 | RSU 21 | — |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Freeport High School | Kennebunk High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.2Highest |
11.6 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.