Compare towns
Northbridge vs Saugus vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Saugus has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Northbridge | Saugus | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Lowest |
28,773Highest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
44.5±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Saugus and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% MA: 47.3% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$101,539±$3kLowest about the MA average |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$6,049 about the MA average |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Saugus and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #226 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Saugus | — |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Saugus High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
15.5Highest |
— |
| 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.