Compare towns
Dedham vs Sterling vs Canton vs Boston
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 oldest population (median age 44.6).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Canton has the most people working from home (25.7%).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
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 | Sterling | Canton | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
3,629Lowest |
24,748 |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Canton 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%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Canton and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Canton 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% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Canton 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 99% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
$731,700±$10kHighest 120% above U.S. |
| Boston and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Lowest 45% above U.S. |
— | $2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
$2,147±$25 52% above U.S. |
| Canton and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
$4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT | #81 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Sterling School District | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | Canton High | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 13.1 |
18.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.