Compare towns
Coventry vs Dedham vs Wakefield vs Smithfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Coventry has the most affordable homes ($356k median).
Dedham has the oldest population (median age 44.6).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Smithfield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Coventry | Dedham | Wakefield | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
25,237 |
27,793 |
22,233Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±1.1 13% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest 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+ | 19.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8k 28% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8kLowest 26% 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 | $356,200±$11kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12k 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155 15% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% 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 | $5,099Lowest 63% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #24 of 38 in RI | #119 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Coventry | Dedham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | Dedham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
10.4Lowest |
10.7 |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.