What stands out worked out from the figures below

Quincy has the most renters (54.8% rent).

Wakefield has the most homeowners (70.7%).

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	Quincy	Wakefield
People
Population	102,114Highest	27,793Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+8.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	38.6±0.8Lowest 4% below MA	42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA
Kids under 18	14.5%±1Lowest MA: 19.4%	20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	17.7%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Wakefield and Quincy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	59.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$98,882±$5kLowest 5% below MA	$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$618,500±$14kLowest 10% above MA	$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,118±$59Highest 20% above MA	$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA
	Quincy and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,381Lowest 6% above MA	$7,779Highest 30% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.7%±3.5Highest MA: 51.8%	43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Quincy and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.6%Highest MA: 10%	4.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	45.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	70.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Highest 6 yrs older 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%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Wakefield and Quincy 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	#147 of 282 in MA	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	Quincy	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	North Quincy High	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	15.5Highest	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.