What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hull has the oldest population (median age 56.1).

Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hull	Wakefield
People
Population	10,138Lowest	27,793Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA	42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA
Kids under 18	11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	26.1%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%	19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	59.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%
	Wakefield and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$115,485±$14kLowest 11% above MA	$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA
	Wakefield and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$646,000±$38kLowest 15% above MA	$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,081±$187Highest 18% above MA	$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA
	Hull and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,089Lowest about the MA average	$7,779Highest 30% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±14Highest MA: 51.8%	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hull and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Highest MA: 10%	4.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Highest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA	1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 min 14% above MA	33 min 14% above MA
Work from home	19.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Wakefield and Hull 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	#66 of 282 in MA	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Hull	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	Hull High	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	8.8Lowest	10.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.