Compare towns
Dedham vs Townsend vs Burlington
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).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
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 | Townsend | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
9,100Lowest |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Townsend and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Townsend 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 24% above MA |
$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
| 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 18% above MA |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,031Lowest about the MA average |
$6,165 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | North Middlesex | Burlington |
| High school in town | Dedham High | North Middlesex Regional | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
11.3 |
| 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.