Compare towns
Canton vs Lancaster 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Lancaster | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748 |
8,606Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Lancaster and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest 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±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| Canton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Lancaster and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Canton 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% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Canton 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 | #81 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Nashoba | 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.