Compare towns
Plainfield vs Saugus vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Saugus has the oldest population (median age 44.5).
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 | Plainfield | Saugus | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Lowest |
28,773Highest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$101,539±$3k 26% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$603,400±$13k 81% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,049 94% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #131 of 149 in CT | #194 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Saugus | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Saugus High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
15.5Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.