Compare towns
Avon vs Dedham vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Avon has the most affordable homes ($510k median).
Dedham has the oldest population (median age 44.6).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Avon | Dedham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,774Lowest |
25,237 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±4Lowest 6% below MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Avon and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.6%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Avon and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $130,625±$33k 26% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $509,600±$62kLowest 9% below MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,558±$265Lowest 12% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,627Lowest 11% above MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.3%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Dedham 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 | #212 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Avon | Dedham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Avon Middle High School | Dedham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4Lowest |
10.4 |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.