What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

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.

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

Measure	Boylston	Wakefield
People
Population	4,948Lowest	27,793Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA	42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA
Kids under 18	18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Wakefield and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9%	19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Boylston and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	59.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%
	Wakefield and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA	$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA
	Boylston and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$578,600±$47kLowest about the MA average	$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA	$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA
	Boylston and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,266Lowest 21% above MA	$7,779Highest 30% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Highest MA: 51.8%	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Boylston and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Highest MA: 10%	4.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 8% below MA	33 minHighest 14% above MA
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Wakefield and Boylston 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	#72 of 282 in MA	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	Tahanto Regional High	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.