Compare towns
Dedham vs Mendon vs Needham vs Sutton
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 renters (26.6% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k 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 | Mendon | Needham | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
6,325Lowest |
32,459Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Dedham and Sutton 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% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Mendon 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% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Sutton 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% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon 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 |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Mendon-Upton | — | Sutton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | — | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | — | 12.6Highest |
| 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.