Compare towns
Dedham vs Needham vs Swampscott vs Boston
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).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
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 | Swampscott | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
32,459 |
15,277Lowest |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
44.5±3.5 11% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
| Dedham and Swampscott 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% |
20.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Swampscott 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% |
62.2% MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$134,386±$23k 29% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$771,100±$41k 37% above MA |
$731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Lowest 16% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,303±$143 31% above MA |
$2,147±$25 22% above MA |
| Needham and Swampscott 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 |
$7,936 32% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
57%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Swampscott and Dedham 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1955 9 yrs older than MA |
1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
27.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Needham and Swampscott 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 | #76 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Needham | Swampscott | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Needham High | Swampscott High | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.9 |
11.7 |
18.7Highest |
| 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.