Compare towns
Lynnfield vs Worcester vs Ripton vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lynnfield has the most kids (28% under 18).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
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 | Worcester | Ripton | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,064 |
831 |
508Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 28%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $175,265±$23kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $917,600±$31kHighest 176% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,676±$219Highest 89% above U.S. |
$1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
— | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.2%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lynnfield and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 22% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lynnfield and Wakefield 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 | — | — | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lynnfield | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Lynnfield High | None in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
— | — | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.