Compare towns
Devens vs Wakefield vs East Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
East Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($381k 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 | Devens | Wakefield | East Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
27,793Highest |
2,166 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 22% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
52.1±6.4Highest 30% above MA |
| East Brookfield and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±2.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and East Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Devens and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$81,042±$16kLowest 22% below MA |
| Devens and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$381,200±$30kLowest 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,142±$33Lowest 35% below MA |
| Wakefield and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556 7% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$4,430Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
34.2%±39.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Devens 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 | — | #179 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.