Compare towns
Dedham vs Melrose vs Natick
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 affordable homes ($662k median).
Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | Melrose | Natick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Lowest |
29,650 |
36,873Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5% MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
43.6±1.1 9% above MA |
43.3±1.4Lowest 8% above MA |
| Dedham and Melrose 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% |
20.2%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Natick and Melrose 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% |
20.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Natick 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 |
$133,953±$14k 29% above MA |
$138,538±$11kHighest 33% above MA |
| Natick and Melrose 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 |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
$821,000±$25k 46% above MA |
| Melrose and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,970±$149Lowest 12% above MA |
$2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA |
| Natick and Dedham 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 |
$7,578Lowest 26% above MA |
$8,914Highest 49% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Melrose and Natick 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 | #62 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Melrose | Natick |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Melrose High | Natick High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.6 |
| 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.