Compare towns
Dedham vs Needham vs Scituate vs Burlington
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 affordable homes ($662k median).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Scituate has the most homeowners (87.8%).
Burlington has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Scituate | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
32,459Highest |
19,365Lowest |
26,274 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
47.1±3.1Highest 18% above MA |
45.9±2.2 15% above MA |
| Scituate and Burlington 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% |
22.2%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.8% MA: 47.3% |
58.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±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±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$136,732±$16k 32% above MA |
$146,436±$14k 41% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$847,600±$25k 51% above MA |
$740,600±$35k 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,409±$183 37% above MA |
$1,609±$311Lowest 9% below MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Burlington and Needham 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 |
$8,807 47% above MA |
$6,165Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.7%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7Lowest 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% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
87.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
38 minHighest 31% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
28%±4 MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Needham and Scituate 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 | #43 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Needham | Scituate | Burlington |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Needham High | Scituate High School | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.9Highest |
11.3 |
11.3 |
| 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.