Compare towns
Wakefield vs Sutton vs Dedham vs Saugus
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%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k 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 | Sutton | Dedham | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 27,793 |
2,239Lowest |
25,237 |
28,773Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton 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% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Saugus 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% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Saugus 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. |
$130,313±$31k 61% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$101,539±$3kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Sutton 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. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$603,400±$13k 81% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614Lowest 17% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Dedham 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. |
$7,652 145% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$6,049Lowest 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Saugus 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest 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 | — | #119 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Kearsarge Regional School District | Dedham | — |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Kearsarge Regional High School | Dedham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
10.4Lowest |
10.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.