Compare towns
Wakefield vs Monroe 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%).
Monroe has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
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 | Monroe | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
122Lowest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
60.2±9.9Highest 51% above MA |
44.6±1.6 12% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±28Lowest 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%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
31.1%±27.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Monroe and Dedham 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% |
19.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9%±18.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Monroe and Dedham 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 |
— | $128,955±$10kLowest 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±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$165,000±$141kLowest 71% below MA |
$661,800±$16k 18% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
— | $2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
| Dedham and Wakefield 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 |
$2,053Lowest 66% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
38.5%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
56 minHighest 93% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
0%±41.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Dedham 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 | — | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — | Dedham |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — | 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.