Compare towns
Upton vs Dedham vs Wakefield vs Millis
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Dedham has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Millis has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Upton | Dedham | Wakefield | Millis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
25,237 |
27,793Highest |
8,888 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest 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+ | 53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6 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 | $155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$603,500±$31k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,696±$279 4% below MA |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 40% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6Highest 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 | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 14% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #63 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Dedham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Millis |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Dedham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Millis High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
10.4Lowest |
10.7 |
10.7 |
| 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.