Compare towns
Dedham vs Acton vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Wakefield has the youngest population (median age 42.4).
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 | Dedham | Acton | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
24,155Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Dedham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest 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+ | 55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Acton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,986±$155 13% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Dedham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Acton-Boxborough | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | — | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.