Compare towns
Hanson vs Wakefield vs Douglas
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%).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Wakefield | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,660 |
27,793Highest |
9,207Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3 7% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
| Douglas 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% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hanson and Wakefield 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% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas 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±$10kLowest 27% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Douglas and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $533,900±$36k 5% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,821±$860 3% above MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA |
| Wakefield and Hanson 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 |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Wakefield 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% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Douglas 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Douglas |
| High school in town | Whitman Hanson Regional | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
10.7 |
7.2Lowest |
| 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.