Compare towns
Dedham vs Dover vs Upton vs Wakefield
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 shortest commute (29 min average).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Dover | Upton | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
5,930Lowest |
8,189 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
44.9±2.3 12% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Upton and Dover 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% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Upton 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% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover 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±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Dover and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 19% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Blackstone Valley | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
9.8Lowest |
11.2Highest |
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.