Compare towns
Wakefield vs Andover vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Andover has the highest household income ($173k).
Dedham has the most affordable homes ($662k 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 | Wakefield | Andover | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
36,652Highest |
25,237Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+10.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
42.9±1 7% above MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
| Dedham and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
16%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest 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+ | 59.7% MA: 47.3% |
75.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$172,606±$16kHighest 66% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$855,600±$22kHighest 52% above MA |
$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,201±$129Highest 25% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
| Andover and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,918 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
39.7%±7.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
30.4%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | #68 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Dedham |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.