Compare towns
Wakefield vs Suffield vs Saugus vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Suffield has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Dedham has the oldest population (median age 44.6).
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 | Wakefield | Suffield | Saugus | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 27,793 |
15,702Lowest |
28,773Highest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Highest 15% 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 | 20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Saugus and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$101,539±$3kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% 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 | $723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$603,400±$13k 81% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 149% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$6,049Lowest 94% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #194 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Suffield School District | — | Dedham |
| High school in town | — | Suffield High School | — | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| 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.