Compare towns
Epping vs Plainville vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k 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 | Epping | Plainville | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,430Lowest |
9,943 |
25,237Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
| Epping and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$476,000±$35k 43% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,742±$576Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$1,977±$197 40% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,936 122% above U.S. |
$5,329Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Dedham 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #102 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Epping School District | Plainville | Dedham |
| High school in town | Epping High School | None in town | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
— | 10.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.