Compare towns
Halifax 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
Halifax has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
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 | Halifax | Stoneham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,748Lowest |
23,355 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7Lowest 5% above MA |
42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.6Lowest 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+ | 36.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.9% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Halifax and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,556±$11k 14% above MA |
$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51kLowest 14% below MA |
$671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375Lowest about the MA average |
$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 | $6,840 14% above MA |
$6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Halifax and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3Lowest 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Stoneham | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Stoneham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.