Compare towns
Dedham vs Lancaster vs Sutton 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 most affordable homes ($356k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Lancaster | Sutton | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
8,606 |
9,452Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 20% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
44.6±3.1 15% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Hope 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 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% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hope and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton 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±$18k 38% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$86,766±$6kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$373,400±$33k 12% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 about the U.S. average |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401Lowest 16% below U.S. |
$1,219±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Dedham 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. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$3,842Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±38.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±10.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Sutton 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Nashoba | Sutton | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.