Compare towns
Stoneham vs Gardner 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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k 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 | Gardner | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,355 |
21,148Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Gardner 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% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest 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%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham and Gardner 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% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Stoneham and Gardner 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 10% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| 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 20% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
| 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 9% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest same as MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | Gardner | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | Gardner High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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.