What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cohasset has the most expensive homes ($1319k median).

Wakefield has the most affordable 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	Cohasset	Wakefield
People
Population	8,427Lowest	27,793Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.9±4.4Highest 10% above MA	42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA
	Cohasset and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	27.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4%	20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	17.8%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9%	19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Wakefield and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	76.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%
	Wakefield and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$199,306±$53kHighest 92% above MA	$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA
	Cohasset and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,318,900±$165kHighest 135% above MA	$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,755±$399Highest 56% above MA	$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$7,779Lowest 30% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.6%±15.5Highest MA: 51.8%	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Cohasset and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3%Lowest MA: 10%	4.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83%Highest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 28% above MA	33 minLowest 14% above MA
Work from home	25.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%	24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Cohasset 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	#41 of 282 in MA	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Cohasset	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	Cohasset High School	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	9.0Lowest	10.7Highest
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.