Compare towns
Dedham vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Canton
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 shortest commute (29 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Upton | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
24,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
| Upton 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% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Canton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Upton 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% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Canton 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
| Upton and Canton 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 |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,315±$178 31% above MA |
| Lancaster and Canton 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 |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1Lowest 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% 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 |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Canton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.2 |
13.1Highest |
| 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.