Compare towns
Saugus vs Ware vs Wakefield vs Saugus
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Saugus | Ware | Wakefield | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,773Highest |
10,048Lowest |
27,793 |
28,773Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
44.5±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,539±$3k about the MA average |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$101,539±$3k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,049 about the MA average |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$6,049 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.5% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #194 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ware | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Saugus |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Saugus High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
10.7Lowest |
15.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.