Compare towns
Wakefield vs Boston 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 people working from home (24.6%).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
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 | Boston | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
666,442Highest |
25,237Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% 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 | 20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
| 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±$24k 29% above MA |
$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
| Boston and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
| Boston and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779 30% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Boston 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 | #258 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Dedham |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Boston Latin School | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
18.7Highest |
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.