Compare towns
Wakefield vs Bow 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 expensive homes ($724k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Bow | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
8,335Lowest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Wakefield 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% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10kLowest 60% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Lowest 149% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Bow School District | Dedham |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Bow High School | 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 |
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.