Compare towns
Saugus vs Wareham vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k 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 | Wareham | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,773Highest |
23,302Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,539±$3k about the MA average |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,049 about the MA average |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53%±9.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Saugus and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.5% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #194 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Wareham | — |
| High school in town | — | Wareham Senior High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.