Compare towns
Dedham vs Northbridge vs Wakefield vs Stoneham
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%).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Northbridge | Wakefield | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
16,458Lowest |
27,793Highest |
23,355 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
| Dedham and Northbridge 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% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Stoneham 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Stoneham 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% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Stoneham 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 |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$113,964±$10k 10% 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 |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,035±$142 15% above MA |
| Dedham and Stoneham 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 |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$6,523 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
71% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
31 min 7% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Northbridge | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Stoneham |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Northbridge High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
10.8Highest |
10.7 |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.