Compare towns
Dedham vs Needham vs Whately
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 renters (26.6% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Whately has the most affordable homes ($432k 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 | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
32,459Highest |
1,499Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
| Whately 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% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Whately 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% |
47.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$116,563±$15kLowest 12% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$431,500±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,027Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min 5% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5 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 | Whately |
| 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.