Compare towns
Middleton vs Dedham vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has the most affordable homes ($312k median).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,595 |
25,237Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.5±5.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Middleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$81,406±$31kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,300±$27kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$428,000±$61k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$293Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,504Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$5,926 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 83.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
— |
| Middleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 47% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.7%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dedham and Middleton 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 | Middleton School District | Dedham | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.