What stands out worked out from the figures below

Burlington has the shortest commute (28 min average).

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.

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

Measure	Burlington	Wakefield
People
Population	26,274Lowest	27,793Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA	42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA
	Burlington and Wakefield 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%	20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Wakefield and Burlington 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%	19%±1.9Lowest 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%	59.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.9Lowest 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	$134,306±$14kLowest 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±$35kHighest 32% above MA	$723,500±$24kLowest 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	$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,165Lowest about the MA average	$7,779Highest 30% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.4%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8%	43.7%±7.9Lowest 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%	4.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	33 minHighest 14% above MA
Work from home	22.5%±3.2Lowest 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	#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

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.