Compare towns
Gill vs Wakefield vs Buckland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gill has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Buckland has the oldest population (median age 49.5).
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 | Gill | Wakefield | Buckland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,740Lowest |
27,793Highest |
2,036 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-4.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
49.5±5.4Highest 24% above MA |
| Buckland and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±8.7 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.4%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Buckland and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.6%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Gill and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,208±$14k 13% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$82,877±$6kLowest 20% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,100±$17k 39% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$321,400±$25kLowest 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$246 32% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,111±$213Lowest 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,318Lowest 28% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$4,761 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±10.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Gill and Buckland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
13%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 29% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±8 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Gill 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 | Gill-Montague | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Mohawk Trail |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Mohawk Trail Regional School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.