What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dedham has the most renters (26.6% rent).

Wrentham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).

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	Wrentham
People
Population	25,237Highest	12,297Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA	46.8±3.2Highest 17% above MA
	Wrentham 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%	19.8%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Wrentham and Dedham 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%	21.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dedham and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55%Lowest MA: 47.3%	55.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	5.2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Dedham and Wrentham 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	$151,676±$17kHighest 46% above MA
	Wrentham 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±$16kHighest 18% above MA	$654,900±$26kLowest 17% above MA
	Dedham and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA	$1,184±$628Lowest 33% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,918Highest 32% above MA	$7,373Lowest 23% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8%	40.6%±15.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Dedham and Wrentham 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%	6.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	32 minHighest 11% above MA
Work from home	20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.9%±4Highest MA: 18.6%
	Wrentham 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	#49 of 282 in MA
School district	Dedham	King Philip · Wrentham
High school in town	Dedham High	King Philip Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	13.5Highest
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.