Compare towns
Dedham vs Needham vs Wellfleet
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).
Wellfleet has grown the fastest since 2010 (+29.7%).
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 | Wellfleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
32,459Highest |
4,404Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+29.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
58.4±4.1Highest 46% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.4%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.3%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
64.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$117,938±$27kLowest 13% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$855,300±$70k 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,563±$597Lowest 11% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,862Lowest 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
28.6%±23.8Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Dedham | Needham | Wellfleet |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.