Compare towns
Dedham vs Webster vs Webster
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 people working from home (20%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
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 | Webster | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
12,228Lowest |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Webster 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% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Webster 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% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | — | Webster |
| High school in town | Dedham High | — | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| 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.