Compare towns
Dedham vs Medford 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 affordable homes ($662k median).
Medford has the most renters (45.9% 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 | Medford | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Lowest |
59,354Highest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
35.9±1Lowest 10% below MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
15.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
11.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$129,540±$8k 25% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$755,500±$23kHighest 34% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Medford 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 16% above MA |
$2,509±$94Highest 42% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$6,286Lowest 5% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
7.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
1942Lowest 22 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min 4% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.8%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Medford and Wakefield 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 | #203 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Medford | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Medford High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
9.2Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| 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.