Compare towns
Dedham vs Reading vs Upton 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 most renters (26.6% rent).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
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 | Reading | Upton | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
25,612 |
8,189Lowest |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.9±2.2 15% above MA |
| Upton and Burlington 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% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$146,436±$14k 41% above MA |
| Reading and Upton 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 |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$740,600±$35k 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$6,165Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
31 min 6% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Upton 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Burlington |
| High school in town | Dedham High | — | Blackstone Valley | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.2 |
11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.