Compare towns
North Andover vs Wakefield vs Stoneham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Andover has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
Wakefield has the oldest population (median age 42.4).
Stoneham has the shortest commute (28 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 | North Andover | Wakefield | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,490Highest |
27,793 |
23,355Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+8.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±2Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| North Andover and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
55.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,670±$9kHighest 35% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
| North Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $732,900±$37kHighest 30% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$671,900±$26kLowest 20% above MA |
| North Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,223±$223Highest 26% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,035±$142 15% above MA |
| North Andover and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,767 30% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53%±9Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| North Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
71%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #98 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Andover | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Stoneham |
| High school in town | North Andover High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
10.7Lowest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.