Compare towns
Temple vs Middleton vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Temple has the most affordable homes ($401k median).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
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 | Temple | Middleton | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,363Lowest |
9,816 |
25,237Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
| Temple and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $94,107±$15kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $401,000±$27kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$523Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,407±$284 about the U.S. average |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,983Lowest 124% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.2%±54.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dedham and Temple 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 | — | #71 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Middleton | Dedham |
| High school in town | None 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.