Compare towns
Dedham vs Oxford vs Suffield vs Stoneham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Oxford has the most homeowners (90.4%).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Oxford | Suffield | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
12,991Lowest |
15,702 |
23,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
45.2±5.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
42.2±2.2Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Oxford 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Oxford and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Oxford 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$128,953±$23k 60% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$113,964±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$472,400±$20k 42% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$671,900±$26kHighest 102% above U.S. |
| Stoneham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,415±$87Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$2,035±$142 44% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$6,442Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$6,523 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.3%±15.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
71%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stoneham and Dedham 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 | #78 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Oxford School District | Suffield School District | Stoneham |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Oxford High School | Suffield High School | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
10.1Lowest |
10.9Highest |
10.7 |
| 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.