Compare towns
Beverly vs Canton vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has the most renters (39.9% rent).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
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 | Beverly | Canton | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665Highest |
24,748Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Beverly and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13kLowest 16% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836 14% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Beverly and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 3% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton 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 | #144 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Canton High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
13.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.