Compare towns
Ogunquit vs Dedham vs Needham vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Wells has the most affordable homes ($485k 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 | Ogunquit | Dedham | Needham | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,379Lowest |
25,237 |
32,459Highest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,473 43% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Dedham | Needham | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | Dedham High | Needham High | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
11.9Highest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.