Compare towns
Dedham vs Merrimac vs Westminster
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 people working from home (20%).
Merrimac has the oldest population (median age 49.4).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
6,748Lowest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
49.4±6.8Highest 24% above MA |
48.3±4.6 21% above MA |
| Merrimac and Westminster 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% |
21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westminster and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac and Westminster 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% |
41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$123,054±$16k 18% above MA |
$106,331±$22kLowest about the MA average |
| Dedham and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$553,400±$38k about the MA average |
$422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$1,843±$268 5% above MA |
| Dedham and Westminster 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 |
$7,399 23% above MA |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1 MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster and Merrimac 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% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.3% MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #188 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Pentucket | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.