Compare towns
Dedham vs Windham vs Canton 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 affordable homes ($662k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Canton has the most people working from home (25.7%).
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 | Windham | Canton | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
16,038Lowest |
24,748 |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3 10% 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Canton 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% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kLowest 60% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9k 78% above U.S. |
$146,436±$14k 81% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 99% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
$740,600±$35kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Burlington and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$2,315±$178 64% above U.S. |
$2,718±$368 92% above U.S. |
| Windham and Burlington 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
$6,165Lowest 98% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Canton 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canton and Burlington 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #81 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Windham School District | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Burlington |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Windham High School | Canton High | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8 |
13.1Highest |
11.3 |
| 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.