Compare towns
Wakefield vs Lancaster 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Dedham has the shortest commute (29 min average).
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 | Lancaster | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
8,606Lowest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
| Dedham and Lancaster 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% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham and Lancaster 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% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
| Lancaster and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$2,042±$182 16% above MA |
| Lancaster 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 |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 14% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Nashoba | Dedham |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | 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.