What stands out worked out from the figures below

Beverly has the most renters (39.9% rent).

Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Beverly	Wakefield
People
Population	42,665Highest	27,793Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39±1.8Lowest about the MA average	42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA
	Wakefield and Beverly 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%	20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Wakefield and Beverly 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%	19%±1.9Lowest 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%	59.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average	$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$650,300±$13kLowest 16% above MA	$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average	$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA
	Wakefield and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,836Lowest 14% above MA	$7,779Highest 30% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8%	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Beverly and Wakefield 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%	4.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	60.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956 8 yrs older than MA	1956 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 3% above MA	33 minHighest 14% above MA
Work from home	22.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Wakefield and Beverly 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	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Beverly	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	Beverly High	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.