Compare towns
Dedham vs Millis vs Sturbridge
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).
Millis has the highest household income ($156k).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k 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 | Millis | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
8,888Lowest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
46.4±3 16% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Millis 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% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Millis 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.5% MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Millis 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 |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
| Millis and Sturbridge 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 |
$603,500±$31k 7% above MA |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,696±$279 4% below MA |
$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
| Dedham and Millis 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 |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Millis and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Dedham and Sturbridge 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 | #63 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Millis | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Millis High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
10.7Highest |
7.7Lowest |
| 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.