Compare towns
Boxford 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
Boxford has the highest household income ($201k).
Dedham has the most affordable homes ($662k 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 | Boxford | Dedham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,208Lowest |
25,237 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±3.6Highest 23% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Boxford and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Boxford and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $200,871±$21kHighest 93% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $907,000±$46kHighest 61% above MA |
$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $776±$13Lowest 56% 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 | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.2%±60.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Boxford and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Boxford 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 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Boxford · Masconomet | Dedham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Masconomet Regional High School | Dedham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
10.4Lowest |
10.7 |
| 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.