Compare towns
Dedham vs Townsend vs Wakefield vs Needham
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 oldest population (median age 44.6).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Townsend | Wakefield | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
9,100Lowest |
27,793 |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
| Dedham and Needham 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% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 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% MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Needham 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 |
$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$6,031Lowest about the MA average |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Needham |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Needham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.9 |
| 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.