Compare towns
Dedham vs Grafton vs Stoneham vs Upton
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).
Grafton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Grafton | Stoneham | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
19,902 |
23,355 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Grafton 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% |
15.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% MA: 47.3% |
55.7% MA: 47.3% |
55.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$131,484±$11k 26% above MA |
$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and Grafton 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 |
$525,300±$37kLowest 7% below MA |
$671,900±$26kHighest 20% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Stoneham and Dedham 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 |
$1,504±$169 15% below MA |
$2,035±$142 15% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Dedham and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$7,117 19% above MA |
$6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±12.5 MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
6.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
71%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Stoneham and Upton 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 | #67 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Grafton | Stoneham | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Grafton High School | Stoneham High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.9Highest |
10.7 |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.