Compare towns
Dedham vs Nottingham vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Nottingham has the most affordable homes ($458k median).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Nottingham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
5,357Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
38.8±6.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| 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%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Nottingham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Nottingham and Dedham 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 60% above U.S. |
$122,201±$20kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| 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 99% above U.S. |
$457,500±$26kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,068±$1kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Nottingham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$7,319Lowest 135% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
92.1%±44.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Nottingham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Nottingham 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 | #15 of 120 in NH | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Nottingham School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.