Compare towns
Medford vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Medford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
Dedham has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
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 | Medford | Dedham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 59,354Highest |
25,237Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.9±1Lowest 10% below MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 12.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $129,540±$8kHighest 25% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
| Medford and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $755,500±$23kHighest 34% above MA |
$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,509±$94Highest 42% above MA |
$2,042±$182Lowest 16% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,286Lowest 5% above MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 22 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 4% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 26.8%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #203 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Medford | Dedham |
| High school in town | Medford High | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
10.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.