Compare towns
Dedham vs Hanson vs Pembroke
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).
Hanson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.2%).
Pembroke has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | Hanson | Pembroke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
10,660Lowest |
18,382 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
42.8±3Lowest 7% above MA |
45.5±3.3Highest 14% above MA |
| Pembroke 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% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Pembroke 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% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
$146,285±$17kHighest 41% above MA |
| Pembroke and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$533,900±$36kLowest 5% below MA |
$586,500±$28k 4% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,821±$860Lowest 3% above MA |
$2,464±$753Highest 40% above MA |
| Pembroke and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,402Lowest 7% above MA |
$6,585 10% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.1%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson 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% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
90.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
34 min 15% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Pembroke 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | #82 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Whitman-Hanson | Pembroke |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Whitman Hanson Regional | Pembroke High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
14.7Highest |
12.3 |
| 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.