Compare towns
Foxborough vs Suffield vs Dedham 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
Foxborough has the most kids (22% under 18).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Dedham has the oldest population (median age 44.6).
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 | Foxborough | Suffield | Dedham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,615 |
15,702Lowest |
25,237 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9Lowest 9% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Foxborough and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,833±$9kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $606,300±$28k 82% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,843±$70 30% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,275 133% above U.S. |
$6,456Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #138 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #119 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Foxborough | Suffield School District | Dedham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Foxborough High | Suffield High School | Dedham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
10.9 |
10.4Lowest |
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.