Compare towns
Cavendish vs Dedham vs Wakefield vs Ludlow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the most affordable homes ($285k median).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Ludlow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Cavendish | Dedham | Wakefield | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242Lowest |
25,237 |
27,793Highest |
1,990 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 16% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
52.2±6.2Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Ludlow and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±6Lowest 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+ | 23.6%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ludlow and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$54,885±$14kLowest 32% below 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 | $285,100±$40kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$370,200±$46k 11% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,112±$151 21% below 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 | $3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$4,890 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.2%±25.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Ludlow 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 | — | #119 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Dedham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Ludlow Mt. Holly Unified Union School District #83 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
10.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.