Compare towns
Canton vs Salem 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%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
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 | Salem | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748Lowest |
44,795Highest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Canton and Wakefield 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% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest 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%±2 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Canton 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% |
47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Canton and Wakefield 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 |
$542,800±$18kLowest 3% 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±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 9% above MA |
$6,114Lowest about the MA average |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Salem and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton 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 | #81 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Salem | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Canton High | Salem High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.