Compare towns
Middlefield vs Dedham vs Florida
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the most homeowners (94.1%).
Dedham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
Florida has the most affordable homes ($247k 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 | Middlefield | Dedham | Florida |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 352Lowest |
25,237Highest |
668 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
56.1±4.4 40% above MA |
| Middlefield and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.5%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 28.7%±8.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Florida and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.8% MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,750±$23k about the MA average |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$86,875±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
| Dedham and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,800±$48k 41% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$246,800±$19kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$867±$256Lowest 51% below MA |
| Middlefield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,926 18% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$1,894Lowest 68% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
16.7%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Middlefield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.2%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.2%±9.2 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dedham and Middlefield 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 | — | #119 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Dedham | Florida |
| High school in town | — | Dedham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.