Compare towns
Dedham vs Cavendish vs Needham 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
Cavendish has the most affordable homes ($285k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
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 | Cavendish | Needham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
1,242Lowest |
32,459Highest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
45.2±5.9Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Cavendish 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% |
18.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cavendish 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 60% above U.S. |
$89,063±$29kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$285,100±$40kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,000±$546Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Needham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | Needham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 18 photos → | 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.