Compare towns
Dedham vs Pomfret vs Windsor Locks 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
Pomfret has the most kids (23.1% under 18).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k 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 | Pomfret | Windsor Locks | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
4,317Lowest |
12,579 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
45.9±3.7Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| Pomfret and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Pomfret 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% |
17.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$108,476±$8k 34% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$409,100±$28k 23% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,210±$300Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$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 | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pomfret and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.2%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #39 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Pomfret School District | Windsor Locks School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.9Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| 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.