Compare towns
Dedham vs Stow vs Topsfield
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).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Topsfield has the most expensive homes ($853k 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 | Stow | Topsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
7,165 |
6,564Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
42.2±1.8Lowest 6% above MA |
| Dedham and Stow 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% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
24.8%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Topsfield and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
71.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Topsfield 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 |
$185,809±$22k 79% above MA |
$195,718±$16kHighest 88% above MA |
| Topsfield and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
$853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
| Dedham and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Lowest 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
90.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Topsfield 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 | #44 of 282 in MA | #172 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Nashoba | Topsfield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.