Compare towns
Canton vs Natick vs Windham 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
Canton has the most people working from home (25.7%).
Natick has the most expensive homes ($821k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Wakefield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
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 | Natick | Windham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,748 |
36,873Highest |
16,038Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
43.3±1.4Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| Natick and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Natick 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Natick and Canton 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 78% above U.S. |
$138,538±$11k 72% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kLowest 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kLowest 114% above U.S. |
$821,000±$25kHighest 147% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 64% above U.S. |
$2,134±$124 51% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560Lowest 110% above U.S. |
$8,914 186% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.1%±1.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Canton and Natick 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 | #48 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Natick | Windham School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Canton High | Natick High | Windham High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.6 |
12.8 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.