Compare towns
Peabody vs Stoneham vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peabody has the most affordable homes ($596k median).
Stoneham has the most kids (20.8% under 18).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
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 | Peabody | Stoneham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
23,355Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Peabody and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.9% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Stoneham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$113,964±$10k 10% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12kLowest 6% above MA |
$671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$6,523 9% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #228 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Stoneham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Stoneham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
10.7Highest |
10.7Highest |
| 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.