Compare towns
Dedham vs Merrimac vs Peabody vs Needham
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Merrimac has the oldest population (median age 49.4).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Merrimac | Peabody | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
6,748Lowest |
54,695Highest |
32,459 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
49.4±6.8Highest 24% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Merrimac and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac and Peabody 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% |
41% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$123,054±$16k 18% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$553,400±$38kLowest about the MA average |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$7,399 23% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Merrimac and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
81.3% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #188 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Pentucket | Peabody | Needham |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— | 10.3Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.