Compare towns
Middleton vs Dedham vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Middleton | Dedham | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,816 |
25,237Highest |
8,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
| Dedham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
| Middleton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Lancaster and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Dedham | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.