Compare towns
Dedham vs Hanover vs Marshfield vs Needham
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).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
Marshfield has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Marshfield | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
14,845Lowest |
25,879 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
41.8±1.4Lowest 4% above MA |
45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
| Marshfield 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% |
26.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Hanover 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% |
20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Marshfield 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% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 24% above MA |
$189,803±$23k 83% above MA |
$125,986±$8kLowest 21% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Needham and Hanover 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 |
$755,400±$39k 34% above MA |
$680,300±$27k 21% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,845±$341 5% above MA |
$1,772±$123Lowest about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$9,342 56% above MA |
$6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
65%±23.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
32 min 10% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #69 of 282 in MA | #54 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Marshfield | Needham |
| High school in town | Dedham High | South Shore Vocational Technical High | Marshfield High | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
10.3Lowest |
11.0 |
11.9Highest |
| 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.