Compare towns
Dedham vs Sunderland 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 oldest population (median age 44.6).
Sunderland has the most renters (58% rent).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Sunderland is a college town. 25.5% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Sunderland | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
3,641Lowest |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
35.1±1.9Lowest 12% below MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
9%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.8% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
25.5%±9.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$68,083±$3kLowest 35% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$458,100±$52kLowest 19% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,672±$151Lowest 5% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$5,611Lowest 6% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
72.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Sunderland 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% |
14.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
42%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
17 minLowest 41% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #220 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Sunderland | — |
| High school in town | Dedham High | 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.