Compare towns
Dedham vs Rowley vs Stoneham vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowley has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Stoneham has the most kids (20.8% under 18).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
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 | Rowley | Stoneham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
1,708Lowest |
23,355 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
46.3±16.7Highest 16% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Rowley 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 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±6.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley and Dedham 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% |
57.3% MA: 47.3% |
55.9% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley 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 24% above MA |
$109,622±$17kLowest 5% above MA |
$113,964±$10k 10% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| 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 18% above MA |
$614,800±$39kLowest 9% above MA |
$671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,663±$674Lowest 6% below MA |
$2,035±$142 15% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Dedham and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,865 15% above MA |
$6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.3%±45.1 MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
6.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
78.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Stoneham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | — | — | Stoneham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.