Compare towns
Dedham vs Jay vs Pownal
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).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($234k median).
Pownal has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
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 | Jay | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656 |
471Lowest |
1,696Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Lowest 20% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
47.2±8.4 21% above U.S. |
| Jay and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pownal and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pownal and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pownal 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. |
$74,792±$25kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$104,333±$14k 29% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 7% above U.S. |
$234,200±$45kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$436,800±$32kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest about the U.S. average |
— | $981±$636Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Pownal 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. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$5,212Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.9%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pownal and Jay 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.9%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None 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.