Compare towns
Bethlehem vs Dedham vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethlehem has the most affordable homes ($288k median).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Bethlehem | Dedham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,537Lowest |
25,237 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±8.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bethlehem and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,029±$18kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,300±$22kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,418Lowest 74% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.3%±18.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethlehem and Wakefield 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 | #34 of 120 in NH | #119 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Dedham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Profile Senior High School | Dedham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
10.4 |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.