What stands out worked out from the figures below

Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 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.

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

Measure	Deerfield	Wakefield
People
Population	5,158Lowest	27,793Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA	42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA
Kids under 18	13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4%	20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	22.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9%	19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Deerfield and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	59.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Deerfield and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,136±$14kLowest about the MA average	$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA	$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA	$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,824Lowest about the MA average	$7,779Highest 30% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8%
	Wakefield and Deerfield 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%	4.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 40% below MA	33 minHighest 14% above MA
Work from home	17.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Wakefield and Deerfield 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	#156 of 282 in MA	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Deerfield · Frontier	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	Frontier Regional	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	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.