Compare towns
Saugus vs Auburn vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most affordable homes ($400k 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 | Auburn | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,773Highest |
16,970Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Auburn and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Auburn and Wakefield 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% |
20.9%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Saugus and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.4% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,539±$3kLowest about the MA average |
$116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Wakefield and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,400±$13k 7% above MA |
$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$1,467±$155Lowest 17% 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 |
$5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53%±9.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Saugus and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.5% MA: 62.5% |
79.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 12% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #194 of 282 in MA | #106 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Saugus | Auburn | — |
| High school in town | Saugus High | Auburn Senior High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.