Compare towns
Dedham vs Medford
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).
Medford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Medford |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 25,237Lowest |
59,354Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
35.9±1Lowest 10% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$129,540±$8kHighest 25% above MA |
| Medford and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$755,500±$23kHighest 34% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Lowest 16% above MA |
$2,509±$94Highest 42% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,286Lowest 5% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
1942Lowest 22 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.8%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #203 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Medford |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Medford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Highest |
9.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.