Compare towns
Harvard vs Dedham vs Littleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Littleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
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 | Harvard | Dedham | Littleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,927Lowest |
25,237Highest |
10,280 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
43.5±2Lowest 9% above MA |
| Dedham and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Littleton and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Littleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Littleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$149,722±$31k 44% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$658,300±$40kLowest 17% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$2,016±$507 14% above MA |
| Dedham and Littleton 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 |
$7,918Lowest 32% above MA |
$9,458 58% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
55.7%±13.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #12 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #52 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Harvard | — | Littleton |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | — | Littleton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.