Compare towns
Dedham vs Plainfield vs Putnam
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 most expensive homes ($662k median).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).
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 | Plainfield | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
15,141 |
7,120Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.2±5.1 6% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$65,511±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$245,100±$13kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,147±$43Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,564Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Dedham | Plainfield School District | — |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Plainfield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.