Compare towns
Newfields vs Reading vs Wakefield vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Reading has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Newfields | Reading | Wakefield | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,023 |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13k 106% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kLowest 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,400±$34k 94% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kLowest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,875±$323 33% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,320 199% above U.S. |
$7,779Lowest 149% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.5%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Lyme 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 | — | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Newfields School District | Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.