Compare towns
Dedham vs Needham vs Thornton vs Boston
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).
Thornton has the most affordable homes ($352k median).
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 | Thornton | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
32,459 |
2,799Lowest |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
51.1±3.4Highest 31% above U.S. |
33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±0.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$90,022±$17kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$97,344±$2k 21% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$351,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,270±$428Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$2,147±$25 52% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,032 61% above U.S. |
$4,456Lowest 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% |
57.7%±24.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thornton 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.8%±9.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham and Thornton 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 | #18 of 120 in NH | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Needham | Thornton School District | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Needham High | None in town | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.9 |
— | 18.7Highest |
| 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.