Compare towns
Dedham vs Marshfield vs Wrentham
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 renters (26.6% rent).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.8%).
Wrentham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Marshfield | Wrentham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
25,879Highest |
12,297Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8% MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
46.8±3.2Highest 17% above MA |
| Wrentham and Marshfield 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% |
19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
19.8%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Wrentham and Marshfield 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% |
20.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Wrentham 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% |
52.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Wrentham 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 |
$125,986±$8kLowest 21% above MA |
$151,676±$17kHighest 46% above MA |
| Wrentham 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 |
$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA |
$654,900±$26kLowest 17% above MA |
| Marshfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,184±$628Lowest 33% below MA |
| Dedham and Marshfield 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 |
$6,656Lowest 11% above MA |
$7,373 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
40.6%±15.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.9%±4 MA: 18.6% |
| Marshfield and Wrentham 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 | #54 of 282 in MA | #49 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Marshfield | King Philip · Wrentham |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Marshfield High | King Philip Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.0 |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.