Compare towns
Dedham vs Peabody vs Burlington
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 youngest population (median age 44.6).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Peabody | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Lowest |
54,695Highest |
26,274 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
| Burlington and Peabody 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% |
18.7%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Peabody and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody 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% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Burlington 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 |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
| Burlington and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$596,200±$12kLowest 6% above MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,950±$99Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$6,165 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Burlington 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 | #228 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Peabody | Burlington |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
10.3Lowest |
11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.