Compare towns
Dedham vs Rowley vs Upton vs Needham
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).
Rowley has the oldest population (median age 50).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Rowley | Upton | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
6,251Lowest |
8,189 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Rowley and Upton 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% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Upton 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% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% MA: 47.3% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Needham 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 |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$667,300±$52k 19% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Lowest 32% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Dedham 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% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 min 3% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Triton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Needham |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.2 |
11.9Highest |
| 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.