Compare towns
Grafton vs Wakefield vs Mansfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Grafton | Wakefield | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,902Lowest |
27,793Highest |
23,931 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
41.4±1.3 4% above MA |
| Wakefield and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Grafton and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
51.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Grafton and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,484±$11k 26% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$125,273±$15kLowest 21% above MA |
| Wakefield and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $525,300±$37kLowest 7% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$603,500±$28k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$169Lowest 15% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,803±$147 about the MA average |
| Wakefield and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,117Lowest 19% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$7,226 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Grafton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.4%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Grafton 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 | #67 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Grafton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Mansfield |
| High school in town | Grafton High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Mansfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.