Compare towns
Dedham vs Plainfield vs Saugus vs Burlington
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).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Saugus has the most renters (28.5% rent).
Burlington has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | Saugus | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
15,141Lowest |
28,773Highest |
26,274 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
45.9±2.2Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Burlington 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% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Dedham 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% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Saugus 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$101,539±$3k 26% above U.S. |
$146,436±$14kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| 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 99% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$603,400±$13k 81% above U.S. |
$740,600±$35kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,241±$201 59% above U.S. |
$2,718±$368Highest 92% above U.S. |
| Burlington and Saugus 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. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,049 94% above U.S. |
$6,165 98% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Saugus 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #194 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Plainfield School District | — | Burlington |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Plainfield High School | — | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
10.3Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| 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.