Compare towns
Dedham vs Upton vs Hope vs Belgrade
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 kids (23.8% under 18).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Belgrade has the most affordable homes ($312k 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 | Hope | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
8,189Highest |
1,748 |
3,351 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.6±3.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
47.3±14.6Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Belgrade 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% |
23.3%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.9Lowest 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Belgrade and Hope 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% |
47.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belgrade 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$86,766±$6kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$88,338±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Upton and Dedham 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. |
$373,400±$33k 12% above U.S. |
$312,200±$44kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$1,219±$182 14% below U.S. |
$857±$108Lowest 39% 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,842 23% above U.S. |
$2,859Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±38.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
17.2%±35.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Hope 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±10.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Belgrade 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 | — | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hope Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.