Compare towns
Dedham vs Bow vs Wakefield vs Mansfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the oldest population (median age 44.6).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 41.4).
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 | Bow | Wakefield | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
8,335Lowest |
27,793Highest |
23,931 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
41.4±1.3Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Wakefield 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% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Mansfield 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% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±2Lowest 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% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$125,273±$15kLowest 55% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$603,500±$28k 81% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,803±$147 28% 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. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$7,226Lowest 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Wakefield 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #179 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Bow School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Mansfield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Bow High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Mansfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
10.7 |
11.1 |
| 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.