Compare towns
Dedham vs Suffield vs Thomaston
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 most expensive homes ($662k median).
Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Thomaston has the most affordable homes ($283k 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 | Suffield | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
15,702 |
7,492Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Suffield 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% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Thomaston and Dedham 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% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Thomaston 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 60% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$103,218±$15kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$282,600±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$5,915Lowest 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thomaston 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dedham and Suffield 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Dedham | Suffield School District | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Suffield High School | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
10.9Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.