Compare towns
Hanson vs Saugus vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanson has the most homeowners (89%).
Saugus has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Hanson | Saugus | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,660Lowest |
28,773Highest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3 7% above MA |
44.5±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Saugus and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Saugus and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6% MA: 47.3% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
$101,539±$3kLowest about the MA average |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $533,900±$36kLowest 5% below MA |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,821±$860Lowest 3% above MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,402 7% above MA |
$6,049Lowest about the MA average |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #149 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Saugus | — |
| High school in town | Whitman Hanson Regional | Saugus High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Lowest |
15.5Highest |
— |
| 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.