Compare towns
Dedham vs Plainville vs Canton
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).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Canton has the most people working from home (25.7%).
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 | Plainville | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
17,551Lowest |
24,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Plainville 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% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Plainville 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% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Dedham 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 60% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
| Canton 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. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$710,600±$27kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Canton and Dedham 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. |
$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canton 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Plainville High School | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.4 |
13.1Highest |
| 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.