Compare towns
Dedham vs Fall River vs Somerset vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Somerset has the most homeowners (86.9%).
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 | Fall River | Somerset | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
94,082Highest |
18,298Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
47±2.2Highest 18% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Somerset and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Fall River 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% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.3%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Somerset 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% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Somerset 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 |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$112,677±$6k 8% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Dedham 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 |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$418,800±$18k 25% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,271±$93 28% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| 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 32% above MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,977 17% below MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±12.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Somerset and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Dedham 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #132 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | B M C Durfee High | Somerset Berkley Regional High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.3 |
11.6Highest |
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.