Compare towns
Burlington vs Douglas vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burlington has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k median).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Burlington | Douglas | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,274 |
9,207Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Burlington and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Burlington and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.4% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,436±$14k 41% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Douglas and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Burlington and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
$1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,165Lowest about the MA average |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Burlington and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Burlington 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 | #83 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Burlington | Douglas | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Burlington High | Douglas High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
7.2Lowest |
10.7 |
| 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.