Compare towns
Saugus vs Colebrook vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saugus has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Colebrook has the most affordable homes ($343k 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 | Colebrook | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,773Highest |
1,494Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5 14% above U.S. |
52.1±5Highest 34% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colebrook 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,539±$3kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$111,250±$17k 38% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,400±$13k 81% above U.S. |
$342,800±$19kLowest 3% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,333±$626Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,049Lowest 94% above U.S. |
$6,211 99% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±55Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saugus and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #194 of 282 in MA | — | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Saugus | Colebrook School District | — |
| High school in town | Saugus High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.