Compare towns
Dedham vs Middleton 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).
Middleton has the most homeowners (92.7%).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Middleton | Peabody | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
9,816Lowest |
54,695Highest |
32,459 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Peabody and Dedham 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% |
17.2%±3Lowest 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% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody and Dedham 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% |
41.7% 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% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
$596,200±$12kLowest 6% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$8,785 47% 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% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody 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% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 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 |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Middleton | Peabody | — |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.