What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).

Pembroke has the most homeowners (90.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dedham	Pembroke
People
Population	25,237Highest	18,382Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+2.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA	45.5±3.3Highest 14% above MA
	Pembroke and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Pembroke and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9%	19.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dedham and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55%Highest MA: 47.3%	44.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	4.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Dedham and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA	$146,285±$17kHighest 41% above MA
	Pembroke 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±$16kHighest 18% above MA	$586,500±$28kLowest 4% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,042±$182Lowest 16% above MA	$2,464±$753Highest 40% above MA
	Pembroke and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,918Highest 32% above MA	$6,585Lowest 10% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8%	42.1%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Dedham and Pembroke 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%	4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	90.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	35 minHighest 19% above MA
Work from home	20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.2%±5.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Pembroke 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	#82 of 282 in MA
School district	Dedham	Pembroke
High school in town	Dedham High	Pembroke High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	12.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.