Compare towns
Dedham vs Marion 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 kids (18.6% under 18).
Marion has the most homeowners (90.8%).
Burlington has the most people working from home (22.5%).
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 | Marion | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
5,310Lowest |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
45.9±2.2 15% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Dedham and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Marion and Dedham 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% |
46.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Marion 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 |
$143,092±$30k 38% above MA |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
| Burlington and Marion 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 |
$653,500±$47kLowest 16% above MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$5,766Lowest 4% below MA |
$6,165 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Burlington and Marion 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 | #141 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Marion | Burlington |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| 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.