Compare towns
Dedham vs Hampstead vs Hooksett 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
Hampstead has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Dedham | Hampstead | Hooksett | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
9,102Lowest |
15,057 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
45.3±6.1Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| Hampstead and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Hampstead and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$112,348±$18kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% 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 | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45k 57% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,299±$149Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% 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 | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$6,554Lowest 110% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Hampstead 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 | #49 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Hampstead School District | Hooksett School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.