Compare towns
Millbury vs Wakefield vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Millbury has the most affordable homes ($450k median).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Grafton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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.
| Measure | Millbury | Wakefield | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,961Lowest |
27,793Highest |
19,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.1Highest 7% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Millbury and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Grafton and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Millbury and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Grafton and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,790±$13kLowest 14% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$131,484±$11k 26% above MA |
| Wakefield and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $450,100±$19kLowest 20% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$525,300±$37k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,623±$232 8% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,504±$169Lowest 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,406Lowest 10% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$7,117 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±12.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Grafton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.8%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Grafton 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 | #202 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #67 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Millbury | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Grafton |
| High school in town | Millbury Junior/Senior High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Grafton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
10.7Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.