Compare towns
Dedham vs Salisbury 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 homeowners (73.4%).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
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 | Salisbury | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237 |
9,281Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
51.3±3.5Highest 28% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest 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%±2 MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Dedham 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% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Salisbury 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 |
$93,361±$6kLowest 10% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% 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 |
$478,700±$27kLowest 15% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,691±$411Lowest 4% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Dedham and Wakefield 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 |
$4,604Lowest 23% below MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±11.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Salisbury 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 MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±5.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Dedham 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 | #240 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Triton | 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 Our Story | 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.