Compare towns
Dedham vs Ogunquit vs Sharon 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 most affordable homes ($662k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Sharon has the highest household income ($192k).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Sharon | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
1,379Lowest |
18,574 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
42.5±1 9% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
76.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Sharon 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. |
$114,259±$56kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$191,835±$19kHighest 138% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kLowest 99% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$737,100±$33k 122% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
— | $2,310±$345Highest 63% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Sharon 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% 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% |
87.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Sharon 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 | — | #23 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | — | Sharon | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Dedham High | — | Sharon High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.