What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).

Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dedham	Rochester
People
Population	25,237Highest	5,837Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA	46.5±6Highest 16% above MA
	Rochester and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.1%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4%
	Rochester and Dedham 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%	20.1%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dedham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55%Highest MA: 47.3%	43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Dedham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA	$120,273±$12kLowest 16% above MA
	Dedham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA	$599,100±$31kLowest 7% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA	$1,432±$743Lowest 19% below MA
	Dedham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,918Highest 32% above MA	$6,530Lowest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8%	39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Dedham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Highest MA: 10%	5.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	88.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	37 minHighest 25% above MA
Work from home	20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%	8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#119 of 282 in MA	#104 of 282 in MA
School district	Dedham	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester
High school in town	Dedham High	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Highest	9.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.