Compare towns
Dedham vs Lancaster vs Sutton vs Burlington
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%).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Sutton | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
8,606Lowest |
9,452 |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
| Burlington and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton 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% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
58.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Burlington 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 |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$146,436±$14k 41% above MA |
| Sutton and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,338±$539 33% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Burlington and Lancaster 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 |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$6,165Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7 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% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Nashoba | Sutton | Burlington |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | Sutton High School | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
11.3 |
| 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.