Compare towns
Dedham vs Needham vs Wakefield vs Canton
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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Needham | Wakefield | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
32,459Highest |
27,793 |
24,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
| Dedham and Needham 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
67.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,315±$178 31% above MA |
| Needham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Needham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Needham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.9 |
10.7 |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.