Compare towns
Ware vs Dedham vs Needham vs Palmer Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Palmer Town has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Ware | Dedham | Needham | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048Lowest |
25,237 |
32,459Highest |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Palmer Town and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 | $67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$78,480±$8k 25% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,075±$103 39% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | — | Needham | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | Needham High | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | 11.9Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.