Compare towns
Stow vs Dedham vs Topsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Topsfield has the most expensive homes ($853k 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 | Stow | Dedham | Topsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,165 |
25,237Highest |
6,564Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
42.2±1.8Lowest 6% above MA |
| Dedham and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.8%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Topsfield and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $185,809±$22k 79% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$195,718±$16kHighest 88% above MA |
| Topsfield and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
| Dedham and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,918Lowest 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
7.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Topsfield 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 | #44 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #172 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Dedham | Topsfield |
| 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.