Compare towns
Stoneham vs Wakefield vs Medford
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).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
Medford has the most renters (45.9% 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 | Wakefield | Medford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,355Lowest |
27,793 |
59,354Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
35.9±1Lowest 10% below MA |
| Wakefield and Stoneham 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% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±1.3Lowest 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%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham and Wakefield 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% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
59.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$129,540±$8k 25% above MA |
| Wakefield and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26kLowest 20% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$755,500±$23kHighest 34% above MA |
| Medford and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142 15% above MA |
$1,958±$102Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,509±$94Highest 42% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523 9% above MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$6,286Lowest 5% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
54.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest same as MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1942Lowest 22 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.8%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Medford and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #203 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | — | Medford |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | — | Medford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | 9.2Lowest |
| 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.