Compare towns
Dennis vs Needham vs Mashpee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dennis has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Mashpee has the most affordable homes ($562k 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 | Dennis | Needham | Mashpee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,868Lowest |
32,459Highest |
15,384 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 59.5±2Highest 49% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
55.9±1.8 40% above MA |
| Dennis and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Mashpee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,154±$10kLowest 15% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$95,299±$13k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,100±$28k 12% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$562,200±$29kLowest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$260Lowest 19% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,776±$330 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,877Lowest 52% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,762 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.2%±9.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dennis and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #238 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #100 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dennis-Yarmouth | Needham | Mashpee |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | Mashpee Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.