Compare towns
Dedham vs Salisbury 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 kids (18.6% under 18).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.6%).
Burlington has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | Salisbury | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
5,656Lowest |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
51±6.9Highest 28% above MA |
45.9±2.2 15% above MA |
| Salisbury and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Dedham and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% MA: 47.3% |
50.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Salisbury 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 24% above MA |
$92,469±$7kLowest 11% below MA |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
| Burlington 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 18% above MA |
$465,900±$31kLowest 17% below MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,770±$444Lowest about the MA average |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$4,561Lowest 24% below MA |
$6,165 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
59.8%±11.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
65.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 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 |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±6.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Burlington 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 | #240 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | — | Burlington |
| High school in town | Dedham High | — | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.