Compare towns
Dedham vs Lancaster vs Mendon
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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Lancaster | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
8,606 |
6,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Dedham and Mendon 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% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Lancaster 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% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Dedham 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 |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
| Lancaster and Mendon 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 |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
| Dedham and Mendon 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 |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,840±$196Lowest 4% above MA |
| Lancaster 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 |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$7,213Lowest 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Nashoba | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.