Compare towns
Stoneham vs Marblehead vs Wakefield vs Mansfield
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).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Mansfield has the most affordable homes ($604k 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 | Marblehead | Wakefield | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,355 |
20,413Lowest |
27,793Highest |
23,931 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
42.4±1.7 6% above MA |
41.4±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mansfield and Marblehead 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% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead 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% |
78.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
51.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mansfield and Stoneham 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 |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$125,273±$15k 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$603,500±$28kLowest 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,803±$147 about the MA average |
| Stoneham and Wakefield 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 |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$7,226 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marblehead 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% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | Marblehead | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Mansfield |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | Marblehead High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Mansfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
10.7Lowest |
10.7Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.