Compare towns
Dedham vs Hanover vs Canton vs Stoneham
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 population (median age 44.6).
Hanover has the highest household income ($190k).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Hanover | Canton | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
14,845Lowest |
24,748 |
23,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
41.8±1.4Lowest 4% above MA |
42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
| Dedham and Canton 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% |
26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanover and Canton 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% |
16.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Stoneham 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 |
$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$755,400±$39kHighest 34% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
| Hanover and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,845±$341Lowest 5% above MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$2,035±$142 15% above MA |
| Canton and Dedham 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 |
$9,342Highest 56% above MA |
$6,560 9% above MA |
$6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanover and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
84.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
71%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
32 min 10% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Stoneham 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 | #69 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Stoneham |
| High school in town | Dedham High | South Shore Vocational Technical High | Canton High | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
10.3Lowest |
13.1Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.