Compare towns
Stoneham vs Danvers vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stoneham has the most kids (20.8% under 18).
Danvers has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
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 | Danvers | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,355Lowest |
28,098Highest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Danvers and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers 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% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$125,395±$10k 21% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above 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 | $671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$644,200±$23kLowest 15% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142 15% above MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Danvers and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Danvers and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest same as MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.