Compare towns
Chaplin vs Saugus 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
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
Saugus has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Chaplin | Saugus | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,070Lowest |
28,773Highest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Saugus and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,846±$14kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$101,539±$3k 26% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$603,400±$13k 81% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,473±$275Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,049 94% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Chaplin 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 | — | #194 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Saugus | — |
| High school in town | Parish Hill High School | Saugus High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.5Lowest |
15.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.