Compare towns
Burlington vs Scituate 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).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 51.7).
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 | Scituate | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,274 |
5,796Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% MA: +7.4% |
+7.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.2 15% above MA |
51.7±3.8Highest 29% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Scituate and Burlington 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% |
22.1%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Scituate and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Scituate 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.1%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Burlington and Wakefield 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 41% above MA |
$124,549±$27kLowest 20% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| 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±$35k 32% above MA |
$821,600±$82kHighest 46% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
| Scituate and Burlington 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 |
$884±$721Lowest 50% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,165Lowest about the MA average |
$8,345Highest 39% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.4%±8 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Burlington and Scituate 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% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.2% MA: 62.5% |
83%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.6%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Scituate and Wakefield 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 | #43 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Burlington | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Burlington High | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.