Compare towns
Dedham vs Needham vs Saugus vs Upton
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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Saugus has the most renters (28.5% rent).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k 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 | Needham | Saugus | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
32,459Highest |
28,773 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Upton 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% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Saugus 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$101,539±$3kLowest about the MA average |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,241±$201 27% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Needham and Saugus 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,049Lowest about the MA average |
$8,376 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Needham | Saugus | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Needham High | Saugus High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.9 |
15.5Highest |
11.2 |
| 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.