Compare towns
Dedham vs Upton vs Walpole vs Stoneham
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 housing (typical home built 1956).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Walpole has the most people working from home (28.2%).
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Upton | Walpole | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
8,189Lowest |
26,388Highest |
23,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
| Upton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Walpole and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Walpole 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 |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$171,500±$16kHighest 65% above MA |
$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
| Walpole and Upton 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 |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$687,100±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
| Walpole and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA |
$2,035±$142 15% above MA |
| Walpole and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$8,523Highest 42% above MA |
$6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
71%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Walpole and Stoneham 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #107 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Stoneham |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Blackstone Valley | Walpole High | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.2 |
11.3Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.