Compare towns
Dedham vs Thomaston vs Suffield vs Burlington
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 renters (26.6% rent).
Thomaston has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Thomaston | Suffield | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
7,492Lowest |
15,702 |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
45.9±2.2Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Burlington and Dedham 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% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±2.2 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% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±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±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$103,218±$15kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$146,436±$14kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| 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 99% above U.S. |
$282,600±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$740,600±$35kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$2,718±$368Highest 92% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$5,915Lowest 90% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$6,165 98% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±10.7Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #106 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Thomaston School District | Suffield School District | Burlington |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Thomaston High School | Suffield High School | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
10.7 |
10.9 |
11.3Highest |
| 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.