What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pembroke has the most homeowners (90.1%).

Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Pembroke	Wakefield
People
Population	18,382Lowest	27,793Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.5±3.3Highest 14% above MA	42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA
	Pembroke and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	Wakefield and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.4%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%	19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Pembroke and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%	59.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Pembroke and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$146,285±$17kHighest 41% above MA	$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA
	Pembroke and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$586,500±$28kLowest 4% above MA	$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,464±$753Highest 40% above MA	$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA
	Pembroke and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,585Lowest 10% above MA	$7,779Highest 30% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8%
	Wakefield and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest MA: 10%	4.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 19% above MA	33 minLowest 14% above MA
Work from home	21.2%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Wakefield and Pembroke 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	#82 of 282 in MA	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Pembroke	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	Pembroke High School	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	12.3Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.