Compare towns
Dedham vs Brookfield vs Hope
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 highest household income ($111k).
Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.1).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Brookfield | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656 |
567Lowest |
1,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S. |
44.6±3.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$81,406±$31kLowest about the U.S. average |
$86,766±$6k 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$428,000±$61kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$373,400±$33k 12% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,219±$182Lowest 14% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942 26% above U.S. |
$5,926Highest 90% above U.S. |
$3,842Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
— | 37.8%±38.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hope and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.7%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hope and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | — | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.