Compare towns
Dighton 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
Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Wakefield has the most expensive 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.
| Measure | Dighton | Stoneham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,193Lowest |
23,355 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±2.9Highest 7% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Dighton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dighton and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.9% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $136,646±$19kHighest 31% above MA |
$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Dighton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $501,900±$47kLowest 11% below MA |
$671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,405±$192Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,452Lowest 8% above MA |
$6,523 9% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 11%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #85 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth | Stoneham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Bristol County Agricultural High | Stoneham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
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.