Compare towns
Upton vs Dedham vs Canton vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Dedham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k 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 | Upton | Dedham | Canton | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
25,237Highest |
24,748 |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Upton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5% MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
| Canton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Dedham | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Sutton |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Dedham High | Canton High | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
10.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.