Compare towns
Dedham vs Marshfield vs Pepperell
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).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.8%).
Pepperell has the most affordable homes ($482k median).
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 | Marshfield | Pepperell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
25,879Highest |
11,663Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
42.4±3.3Lowest 6% above MA |
| Marshfield 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% |
19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Pepperell and Marshfield 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% |
20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Marshfield 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% |
52.4% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Pepperell 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±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
$124,073±$12kLowest 19% above MA |
| Dedham and Marshfield 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 |
$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA |
$482,100±$14kLowest 14% below MA |
| Marshfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,295±$238Lowest 27% below MA |
| Dedham and Marshfield 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 |
$6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
$6,698 12% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield 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% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marshfield and Dedham 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 | #54 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Marshfield | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Marshfield High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.0Highest |
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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.