Compare towns
Dedham vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Needham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
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 | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 60% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66kLowest 57% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,341±$89Lowest 5% below U.S. |
— | $2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | — | — | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Needham |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | — | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | — | 11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.