What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rupert has the most affordable homes ($363k median).

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	Rupert	Wakefield
People
Population	676Lowest	27,793Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	57.8±9.7Highest 49% above U.S.	42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S.
Kids under 18	13.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	42.3%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Wakefield and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,229±$36kLowest 9% above U.S.	$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S.
	Wakefield and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$362,500±$63kLowest 9% above U.S.	$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,958±$102 39% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,594Lowest 47% above U.S.	$7,779Highest 149% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Wakefield and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.	1956Highest 24 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	33 minHighest 26% above U.S.
Work from home	18.6%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wakefield and Rupert 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	—	#179 of 282 in MA
School district	—	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield
High school in town	—	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.