Compare towns
Dedham vs Upton vs Douglas vs Orland
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 shortest commute (30 min average).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Douglas has the youngest population (median age 44).
Orland has the most affordable homes ($277k 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 | Upton | Douglas | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
8,189 |
9,207Highest |
1,915 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
50.6±4.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Orland 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% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.5%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orland and Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±4.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orland and Douglas 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$69,348±$29kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Upton and Douglas 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$277,100±$20kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,149±$177 19% below U.S. |
| Douglas 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
$2,089Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
45%±23.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Orland 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17%±11.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Douglas 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Douglas | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Douglas High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
7.2Lowest |
— |
| 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.