Compare towns
Dedham vs Lancaster 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).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($519k median).
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 | Lancaster | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
8,606Lowest |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Dedham and Lancaster 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest 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±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Lowest 16% above MA |
$2,338±$539 33% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Needham and Lancaster 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 |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster 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% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Needham 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Nashoba | — |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— | — |
| 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.