Compare towns
Dedham vs Georgetown 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).
Georgetown has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
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 | Georgetown | Upton | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
8,474 |
8,189Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
42.8±3.5 7% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Upton 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% |
23.5%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Georgetown 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% |
18.5%±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% |
56.1% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Wakefield 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 |
$151,595±$23k 46% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Upton and Georgetown 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 |
$651,200±$23k 16% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,223±$506Highest 26% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Georgetown 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 |
$7,272Lowest 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.7%±22.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Georgetown 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% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
84% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 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 |
34 min 15% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Upton 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 | #140 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Georgetown | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Georgetown High School | Blackstone Valley | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
9.3Lowest |
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.