Compare towns
Dedham vs Needham vs Northampton vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Northampton has the most affordable homes ($430k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Needham | Northampton | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
32,459Highest |
30,962 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
41.3±2.2Lowest 6% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$80,288±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$429,700±$17kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,439±$75Lowest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,680 82% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northampton and Dedham 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.1%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest 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 | #159 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Dedham | — | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | — |
| High school in town | Dedham High | — | Northampton High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
— |
| 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.