Dedham operates 7 public schools serving 2,556 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Massachusetts. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 2,668 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Norfolk County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $30,478 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 69.8% local, 22.7% state, and 7.5% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $159,975 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 44/100, ranked #121 of 362 in Massachusetts against a state average of 38 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (17 AP courses district-wide), a 202.2:1 student-counselor ratio that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 20.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 63.3% White, 18.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% African American across the district's schools.
Dedham High accounts for 26.9% of all Dedham student enrollment
That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Dedham-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.
Dedham school enrollment varies 3.5× across entities
Dedham school enrollment ranges from 206 students (lowest) to 719 students (highest), a spread of 513 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio — most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Dedham student-counselor ratio is 202:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.
Dedham chronic absenteeism rate is 20.9% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Dedham is typically wider than the Dedham-aggregate figure suggests.
Dedham has 7 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 4 elementary, 1 other. Total enrollment is 2,556 students.
How much does Dedham spend per student?
Dedham spends $30,478 per student. The district has an equity score of 44/100, ranking #121 in Massachusetts.
What is the average teacher salary in Dedham?
The average teacher salary in Dedham is $159,975 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Dedham?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Norfolk County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Dedham?
Dedham students are 63.3% White, 18.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% African American, 2.6% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Dedham?
Dedham has an equity score of 44/100, ranking #121 out of 362 districts in Massachusetts. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.