Compare towns
Franklin Town vs Pepperell vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franklin Town has the highest household income ($146k).
Pepperell has the most affordable homes ($482k median).
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.
| Measure | Franklin Town | Pepperell | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,154Highest |
11,663Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
42.4±3.3Highest 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Franklin Town and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.1% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Franklin Town and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $145,773±$9kHighest 40% above MA |
$124,073±$12kLowest 19% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Franklin Town and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $611,700±$17k 9% above MA |
$482,100±$14kLowest 14% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,899±$156 8% above MA |
$1,295±$238Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
| Wakefield and Franklin Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,044 18% above MA |
$6,698Lowest 12% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Franklin Town and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% MA: 10% |
8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.2% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 12% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Franklin Town 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 | #64 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Franklin · Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical | North Middlesex | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Franklin High | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 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.