Compare towns
Heath 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
Heath has the most affordable homes ($295k median).
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 | Heath | Stoneham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 765Lowest |
23,355 |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Heath and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.9% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,750±$23kLowest 5% below MA |
$113,964±$10k 10% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
$671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 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 | $4,438Lowest 26% below MA |
$6,523 9% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 20% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Stoneham 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 | — | #117 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Stoneham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | — | Stoneham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
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.