Compare towns
Franklin Town vs Dedham vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franklin Town has the highest household income ($146k).
Dedham has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Franklin Town | Dedham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,154Highest |
25,237Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Franklin Town and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| 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+ | 58.1% MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Franklin Town and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $145,773±$9kHighest 40% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Franklin Town and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $611,700±$17kLowest 9% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,899±$156Lowest 8% above MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above 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 | $7,044Lowest 18% above MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Franklin Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 12% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Franklin Town 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 | #64 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Franklin · Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical | Dedham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Franklin High | Dedham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
10.7 |
| 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.