Compare towns
Sherborn vs Wakefield vs Bolton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sherborn has the most expensive homes ($1027k median).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
Bolton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.7%).
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 | Sherborn | Wakefield | Bolton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,427Lowest |
27,793Highest |
5,737 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+15.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
41.2±1.7Lowest 3% above MA |
| Sherborn and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 29.2%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Sherborn and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield and Sherborn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 82.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Wakefield and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
$205,449±$31k 98% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,026,800±$72kHighest 83% above MA |
$723,500±$24kLowest 29% above MA |
$796,000±$49k 42% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$316Highest 33% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,583±$1kLowest 10% below MA |
| Sherborn and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±26.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
12.7%±45.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Sherborn and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1% MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 21% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 49.1%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
40.5%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Sherborn and Bolton 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 | #53 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #28 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sherborn | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Nashoba Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
12.0Highest |
| 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.