Compare towns
Stoneham vs Millis vs Wakefield vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Millis has the highest household income ($156k).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
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 | Stoneham | Millis | Wakefield | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,355 |
8,888Lowest |
27,793Highest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
| Millis and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Millis and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9% MA: 47.3% |
54.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
| Millis and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$603,500±$31kLowest 7% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142 15% above MA |
$1,696±$279Lowest 4% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
| Dedham and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
| Millis and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71% MA: 62.5% |
83.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #63 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | Millis | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Dedham |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | Millis High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
10.7Highest |
10.7Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.