Compare towns
Wakefield vs Fall River vs Dedham vs Melrose
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 highest household income ($134k).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Dedham has the most homeowners (73.4%).
Melrose has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Fall River | Dedham | Melrose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 27,793 |
94,082Highest |
25,237Lowest |
29,650 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
43.6±1.1 9% above MA |
| Dedham and Melrose 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% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Melrose 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%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Melrose 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% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Melrose 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 29% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$128,955±$10k 24% above MA |
$133,953±$14k 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Melrose 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 |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,970±$149 12% above MA |
| Dedham and Melrose 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 |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$7,578 26% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
67.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Melrose and Wakefield 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #62 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Dedham | Melrose |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | B M C Durfee High | Dedham High | Melrose High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
11.3 |
10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.