Compare towns
Dover vs Dedham vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k 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 | Dover | Dedham | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,930Lowest |
25,237Highest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
| Dover and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
| Dover and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Dedham | Sutton |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Dedham High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
10.4 |
12.6Highest |
| 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.