Compare towns
Burlington vs Dover 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).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k 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 | Dover | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,274 |
5,930Lowest |
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 |
44.9±2.3 12% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Burlington and Dover 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% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover 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% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dover 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 |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $740,600±$35k 32% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,718±$368 54% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Dover and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,165Lowest about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest 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% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.2% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #83 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Burlington | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Burlington High | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
9.8Lowest |
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.