Compare towns
Dedham vs Wayne vs Needham 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).
Wayne has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Burlington 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 | Wayne | Needham | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
1,101Lowest |
32,459Highest |
26,274 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.9±2.2 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne and Dedham 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. |
$93,194±$26kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$146,436±$14k 81% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$740,600±$35k 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183 70% above U.S. |
$2,718±$368Highest 92% above U.S. |
| Burlington and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,165 98% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Needham 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% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham and Wayne 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 | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | RSU 38 | — | Burlington |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | — | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | — | 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.