Rank
119
B
Dedham
5 schools · 1 high school · 4 elementary schools · Dedham
Dedham is a suburban town located approximately 12 miles southwest of Boston, encompassing a single public school district with four elementary schools and Dedham High School. With an average single-family assessed value of approximately $810,000, Dedham is a solidly middle-to-upper-middle-class community that maintains a 92.3% graduation rate. The town is known for its historic significance as the site of the first American settlement west of Boston and for its tree-lined residential streets and proximity to the Charles River. Dedham Public Schools ranks #119 among Massachusetts' 328 districts, reflecting the community's sustained investment in education.
Avg MCAS ELA
52.8%
#131 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
53.2%
#111 of 326
Avg SAT
1,154
#89 of 290
Attendance
94%
#146 of 328
Graduation Rate
92.3%
#187 of 288
AP Pass Rate
65.2%
#182 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$27,129
#50 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$105,228
#50 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 54% | 51% | — | 500 | 218 |
| Grade 4 | 43% | 45% | — | 496 | 220 |
| Grade 5 | 39% | 45% | 48% | 497 | 219 |
| Grade 6 | 45% | 51% | — | 500 | 189 |
| Grade 7 | 44% | 32% | — | 494 | 181 |
| Grade 8 | 45% | 51% | 32% | 499 | 192 |
| Grade 10 | 39% | 54% | 47% | 499 | 176 |
| HS Science | — | — | 39% | 494 | 142 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 64.6%
Asian: 2.9%
Hispanic: 18.1%
Black: 8.3%
Multi-Race: 6%
Am. Indian: 0.1%
Female: 49.6%Male: 50.3%Non-binary: 0.1%
High Schools in Dedham
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
151
B-
Dedham High
SAT
1,154
ELA
41%
Math
56%
Grad
92.3%
151
B-
Dedham High
1,154
41%
56%
65.2%
92.3%
Elementary Schools in Dedham
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
66
A
Greenlodge
ELA
69%
Math
76%
Attend.
95.7%
Class
19
66
A
Greenlodge
69%
76%
95.7%
19
328
B
Oakdale
ELA
58%
Math
51%
Attend.
94.1%
Class
18
328
B
Oakdale
58%
51%
94.1%
18
408
B-
Riverdale
ELA
57%
Math
45%
Attend.
94.2%
Class
19
408
B-
Riverdale
57%
45%
94.2%
19
550
C+
Avery
ELA
39%
Math
38%
Attend.
95%
Class
20
550
C+
Avery
39%
38%
95%
20
District Operations
Attendance
#146 of 328Attendance Rate94%
Avg Days Absent11
Chronically Absent (10%+)15.7%
Chronically Absent (20%+)3.4%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#50 of 325In-District Per Pupil$25,023
Total Per Pupil$27,129
Total FTE Students2,805
Teacher Salaries
#50 of 325Average Salary$105,228
Teacher FTE Count246
Salary vs. Town Income1.5x(near town avg)
Teacher salary is 1.5x the town's per capita income ($72,174). Teachers earn close to the community average. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#122 of 327Avg Class Size17
English Learners8.6%
Students w/ Disabilities23.2%
Total Students2,694
Staffing & Retention
#48 of 327Teacher Retention91.6%
Principal Retention100%
Total Teachers261
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Dedham
Avg Assessed Value
$810,871
#67 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$9,974
Income Per Capita
$72,174
#54 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#67
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.23%
Tax as % of Income13.82%(typical)
Bond RatingAAA(highest)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$99.0M+1.55% levy growth(strong)
Residential$58.0M
Commercial/Industrial$41.0M
Residential Share40.53%(diverse)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 4.0% (2.5% base + 1.55% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (40.53%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Municipal Free Cash
$8.9M6.2% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $143.9M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 2,447(79.2%)
Vocational: 89(2.9%)
Charter: 21(0.7%)
Private: 450(14.6%)
Home School: 34(1.1%)
Total: 3,091