Compare towns
Dedham vs Lee vs Peabody 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 most homeowners (73.4%).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
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 | Lee | Peabody | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
5,719Lowest |
54,695Highest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Peabody 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% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55% MA: 47.3% |
44.1% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Lee 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 |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below 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 |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,375±$212Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above 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 |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$5,065 15% below MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.1% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Lee | Peabody | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Lee Middle/High School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
9.2Lowest |
10.3 |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 20 photos → | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.