What stands out worked out from the figures below

Clinton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Clinton	Wakefield
People
Population	15,563Lowest	27,793Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	38.6±2.7Lowest 4% below MA	42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA
	Wakefield and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Wakefield and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9%	19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Wakefield and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	59.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Clinton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$89,781±$10kLowest 14% below MA	$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$387,300±$19kLowest 31% below MA	$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,402±$76Lowest 20% below MA	$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,654Lowest 22% below MA	$7,779Highest 30% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.3%±6.4Lowest MA: 51.8%	43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8%
	Wakefield and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.6%Highest MA: 10%	4.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	54.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956 8 yrs older than MA	1956 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest about the MA average	33 minHighest 14% above MA
Work from home	14.2%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#246 of 282 in MA	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Clinton	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	Clinton Senior High	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.