Compare towns
Lynnfield vs Melrose vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lynnfield has the most kids (28% under 18).
Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Wakefield has the most affordable homes ($724k median).
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 | Lynnfield | Melrose | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,064Lowest |
29,650Highest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+10.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.1Lowest 4% above MA |
43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Melrose and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28%±4.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Melrose and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Melrose and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $175,265±$23kHighest 69% above MA |
$133,953±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $917,600±$31kHighest 63% above MA |
$822,900±$20k 46% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,676±$219Highest 52% above MA |
$1,970±$149 12% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,578Lowest 26% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.2%±21.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynnfield and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest same as MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 10% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 27.4%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Melrose and Lynnfield 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 | #27 of 282 in MA | #62 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lynnfield | Melrose | — |
| High school in town | Lynnfield High | Melrose High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.