Compare towns
Burlington vs Epping vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burlington has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Epping has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Wakefield has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | Epping | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,274 |
7,430Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.2Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Burlington and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping 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±$14kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| Burlington and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $740,600±$35kHighest 123% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| 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 92% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,165Lowest 98% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Burlington | Epping School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Burlington High | Epping High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
9.3Lowest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.