Compare towns
Dedham vs Douglas vs Thompson 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
Dedham has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k 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 | Douglas | Thompson | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
9,207Lowest |
9,337 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson 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% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Douglas 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. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Wakefield 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. |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$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. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Thompson 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Douglas | Thompson School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Douglas High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
7.2Lowest |
7.9 |
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.