Compare towns
Dedham vs Reading vs Suffield
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 renters (26.6% rent).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
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 | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
25,612Highest |
15,702Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Suffield 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Reading 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% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Suffield 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. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Dedham and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Dedham | Reading | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Reading Memorial High | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.1Highest |
10.9 |
| 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.