Compare towns
Lynn vs Preston vs Saugus
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lynn has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Preston has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Saugus has the most people working from home (14.3%).
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 | Lynn | Preston | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 101,709Highest |
4,821Lowest |
28,773 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.5±1.2Lowest 6% below U.S. |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Preston and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lynn and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,043±$3kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$101,539±$3k 26% above U.S. |
| Preston and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $510,100±$23k 53% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$603,400±$13kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,722±$60 22% above U.S. |
$1,433±$1kLowest about the U.S. average |
$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,384 73% above U.S. |
$4,749Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$6,049Highest 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±4.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lynn and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Saugus and Preston 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 | #277 of 282 in MA | #93 of 149 in CT | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lynn | Preston School District | Saugus |
| High school in town | Lynn English High | None in town | Saugus High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.0Lowest |
— | 15.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.