Compare towns
Milton vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Dedham has the most affordable homes ($662k 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 | Milton | Dedham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 28,587Highest |
25,237Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 71.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,677Highest 61% above MA |
$7,918Lowest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±20.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 8% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 29.7%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #55 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Dedham |
| High school in town | — | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
| 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.