Compare towns
Deerfield vs Stoneham vs Wakefield vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the most homeowners (78.4%).
Stoneham has the most kids (20.8% under 18).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($353k 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 | Deerfield | Stoneham | Wakefield | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
23,355 |
27,793Highest |
5,719 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% MA: +7.4% |
+8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6 30% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% MA: 47.3% |
55.9% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$113,964±$10k 10% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
$671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA |
$2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 about the MA average |
$6,523 9% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lee and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 40% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
18 min 38% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #156 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #209 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Stoneham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Lee |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | Stoneham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Lee Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
10.7 |
10.7 |
9.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 20 photos → |
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.