Compare towns
Concord vs Stoneham vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Concord has the most expensive homes ($1210k median).
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Concord | Stoneham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,223Lowest |
23,355 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.6±2Highest 19% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±2.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Concord and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Concord and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Concord and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $195,350±$22kHighest 88% above MA |
$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,210,000±$72kHighest 115% above MA |
$671,900±$26kLowest 20% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,631±$166Highest 49% above MA |
$2,035±$142 15% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.2%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Concord and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #10 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Concord · Concord-Carlisle | Stoneham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Concord Carlisle High | Stoneham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
10.7Lowest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.