Compare towns
Stoneham vs Lexington 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).
Lexington has the highest household income ($238k).
Wakefield has the most renters (29.3% rent).
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 | Lexington | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,355Lowest |
34,295Highest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
47.3±0.8Highest 18% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
25.5%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
21.7%±1.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lexington 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
84.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±0.7Lowest 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 |
$238,444±$18kHighest 129% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26kLowest 20% above MA |
$1,203,100±$35kHighest 114% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142 15% above MA |
$2,891±$233Highest 64% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523Lowest 9% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Lexington 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% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71% MA: 62.5% |
80.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1956Lowest 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%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.7%±3Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #2 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | Lexington | — |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | Lexington High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.4Highest |
— |
| 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.