Compare towns
Dedham vs Erving vs Burlington vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Erving has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Burlington has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | Erving | Burlington | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
1,703Lowest |
26,274 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
43.3±2.4 8% above MA |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Burlington 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 MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Erving 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% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.4% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Burlington 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 |
$77,656±$9kLowest 25% below MA |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Burlington 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 18% above MA |
$271,800±$20kLowest 52% below MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Burlington and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,163±$213Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$1,870Lowest 69% below MA |
$6,165 about the MA average |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.5%±23 MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
81.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 min 4% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Burlington 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 | — | #83 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Erving | Burlington | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | Burlington High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
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.