What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).

Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dedham	Wareham
People
Population	25,237Highest	23,302Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4%	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Wareham 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%Highest MA: 47.3%	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1 MA: 7.9%	5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA	$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA	$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA	$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,918Highest 32% above MA	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Dedham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Lowest MA: 10%	6.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA	1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest about the MA average	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%	12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#119 of 282 in MA	#272 of 282 in MA
School district	Dedham	Wareham
High school in town	Dedham High	Wareham Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Highest	8.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.