Compare towns
Dedham vs Hooksett vs Burlington 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
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Burlington has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | Hooksett | Burlington | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
15,057Lowest |
26,274 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.9±2.2Highest 18% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$146,436±$14kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| 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 99% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$740,600±$35kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| 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 45% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$2,718±$368Highest 92% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$6,165Lowest 98% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%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% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #83 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Hooksett School District | 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 |
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.