Compare towns
Wakefield vs Oxford 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 people working from home (24.6%).
Oxford has the most affordable homes ($472k 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 | Oxford | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
12,991Lowest |
25,237 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
45.2±5.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
| Oxford and Dedham 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% |
21.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Oxford and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Oxford 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$128,953±$23kLowest 60% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
| 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 117% above U.S. |
$472,400±$20kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,415±$87Lowest about the U.S. average |
$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 | $7,779 149% above U.S. |
$6,442Lowest 107% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.3%±15.8Lowest 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% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #78 of 149 in CT | #119 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Oxford School District | Dedham |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Oxford High School | Dedham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
10.1Lowest |
10.4 |
| 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.