Compare towns
Dummer vs Stoneham vs Wakefield vs Stark
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummer has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Stoneham has the most kids (20.8% under 18).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
Stark has the most affordable homes ($198k 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 | Dummer | Stoneham | Wakefield | Stark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 299Lowest |
23,355 |
27,793Highest |
419 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-14%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4 38% above U.S. |
42.2±2.2Lowest 8% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
58.8±3.6Highest 51% above U.S. |
| Stark and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stark and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $91,250±$21k 13% above U.S. |
$113,964±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$71,750±$23kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,200±$51k 27% below U.S. |
$671,900±$26k 102% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$197,700±$34kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,035±$142Highest 44% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102Lowest 39% above U.S. |
— |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,898 7% below U.S. |
$6,523 109% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$2,636Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stark and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #117 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Stoneham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Stark School District |
| High school in town | — | Stoneham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.