Compare towns
Saugus vs Danvers vs Wakefield vs Lynn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saugus has the most homeowners (71.5%).
Danvers has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Lynn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | Danvers | Wakefield | Lynn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,773 |
28,098 |
27,793Lowest |
101,709Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA |
| Danvers 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% |
17.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers 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% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,539±$3k about the MA average |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA |
| Wakefield and Danvers 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 |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$510,100±$23kLowest 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,722±$60Lowest about the MA average |
| Saugus and Danvers 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 |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$5,384Lowest 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynn 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% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
13.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
48.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1946Lowest 18 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 |
32 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Danvers 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 | #194 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #277 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Saugus | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Lynn |
| High school in town | Saugus High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Lynn English High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.5Highest |
12.8 |
10.7Lowest |
15.0 |
| 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.