Compare towns
Dedham vs Sturbridge 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 shortest commute (29 min average).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k 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 | Sturbridge | Wakefield | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237 |
9,960Lowest |
27,793Highest |
24,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Dedham 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% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Sturbridge 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% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Sturbridge 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 |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
| Canton and Sturbridge 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 |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
| Wakefield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 16% above MA |
$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
| Canton and Dedham 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 |
$6,520Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$6,560 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Canton 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% |
86.3%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 |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Wakefield 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
7.7Lowest |
10.7 |
13.1Highest |
| 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.