Compare towns
Canton vs Chilmark vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Chilmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+40%).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
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 | Canton | Chilmark | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748 |
1,578Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% MA: +7.4% |
+40%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
53.6±8.1Highest 34% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±12.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5% MA: 47.3% |
68.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$168,750±$28kHighest 62% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Chilmark and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kLowest 26% above MA |
$1,895,300±$281kHighest 237% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$2,750±$2kHighest 56% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Chilmark and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 9% above MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
30.8%±59.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Canton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
32 minLowest 8% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±11Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 282 in MA | — | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Up-Island Regional | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Canton High | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 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.