Compare towns
Dedham vs Kittery 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
Dedham has the most homeowners (73.4%).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Kittery | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
10,473Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Kittery 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% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest 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%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Kittery 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 60% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| 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 99% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| 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 154% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Wakefield 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% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Highest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Kittery 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Kittery Public Schools | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Robert W Traip Academy | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
9.9Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.