Compare towns
Blackstone vs Wakefield vs Millbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Blackstone has the most affordable homes ($404k median).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Millbury 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 | Blackstone | Wakefield | Millbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,255Lowest |
27,793Highest |
13,961 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±1.7Highest 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
42.6±3.1 7% above MA |
| Blackstone and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Blackstone and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Millbury and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Millbury and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,191±$21kLowest 9% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$118,790±$13k 14% above MA |
| Wakefield and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,400±$34kLowest 28% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$450,100±$19k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,189±$85Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,623±$232 8% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,703 5% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$5,406Lowest 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±18.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Blackstone and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 16% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.8%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Blackstone 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 | #207 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #202 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Millbury |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Millbury Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.3 |
| 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.