Compare towns
Stoneham vs Brooklyn vs Chaplin 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
Stoneham has the most kids (20.8% under 18).
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
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 | Stoneham | Brooklyn | Chaplin | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,355 |
8,517 |
2,070Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Stoneham and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,964±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$97,846±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26k 102% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142Highest 44% above U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523 109% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wakefield and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | — | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | Brooklyn School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | None in town | Parish Hill High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | 7.5Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.